The Red Sox told reporters on Tuesday that right-handed reliever Carson Smith will undergo surgery on Wednesday to repair a shoulder injury. Some details ...
Carson Smith’s shoulder subluxation will require surgery. Per trainer Brad Pearson, Smith also has some labrum tearing. There’s suspicion of other possible anterior damage. TBD if the surgery will have to include the labrum, which is a more difficult recovery path.
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) June 12, 2018
As implied above, the club won't have a specific time-table for Smith's return until after the surgery, but it's going to be a while no matter what. Manager Alex Cora expects the worst ...
Carson Smith will have shoulder surgery tomorrow in NYC with Dr. David Altchek. “Probably,” Alex Cora said when asked if the surgery was season-edging. Smith was injured throwing his glove.
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) June 12, 2018
So the Red Sox will be losing a reliever who's battled injury throughout much of his career and in 2018 has pitched to a 117 ERA+ and 3.00 K/BB ratio through 18 appearances.
Beyond the harm done to a contending bullpen, Smith's injury is notable for the way in which it initially occurred. After allowing a home run to the Athletics' Khris Davis on May 14, he was removed from the game and back in the home dugout he hurled his glove in frustration. That was what led to the injury that now seems likely to end his season ...
Here's the glove smash that popped Carson Smith shoulder out of place. You could see the immediate pain. pic.twitter.com/g9TgpMDrBt
— Dan O'Mara (@Dan_OMara) May 16, 2018
What made the already bad situation even worse is that Smith, while accepting responsibility for what you see above, suggested that heavy usage by Cora contributed to the injury. Cora, of course, pushed back against that notion.
Whatever the case, the 2018 season likely won't be one to remember for Smith.
