Drew Smith Undergoes UCL Reconstruction SurgeryDrew Smith Undergoes UCL Reconstruction Surgery The New York Mets announced that reliever Drew Smith underwent UCL reconstruction surgery in his right elbow with an internal brace augmentation. This surgery will sideline Smith for the remainder of the 2024 season and potentially the entire 2025 campaign. Smith initially suffered a sprained elbow a few weeks ago and sought a second opinion after an initial evaluation indicated surgery was necessary. The extent of the ligament damage will determine the exact surgical procedure, with a full UCL reconstruction potentially costing Smith the entire 2025 season. Smith, a 30-year-old right-hander, has been a solid contributor to the Mets bullpen since 2015. He has posted a 2.40 ERA in 41 1/3 innings in 2021 and has continued to improve in subsequent seasons. Smith has had a strong start to the 2024 season with a 3.06 ERA and a high strikeout rate. As a free agent, Smith’s future with the Mets is uncertain. The timing of this injury is particularly unfortunate, as his early-season performance suggested he could command a strong two-year contract. However, the surgery could impact his market value, potentially limiting him to a less lucrative offer.
July 13: The Mets announced today that Smith underwent a UCL reconstruction in his right elbow yesterday with an internal brace augmentation, which will not only cause him to miss the remainder of the 2024 season, but could cost him the entire 2025 campaign as well.
8 July: Mets reliever Drew Smith will undergo season-ending elbow surgery on Friday, he tells Tim Healey of Newsday. The right-hander is still unsure whether he will need a full Tommy John surgery or the slightly less invasive internal bracing procedure. It is not unusual for the surgeon to make that decision during surgery based on the extent of the ligament damage.
Smith went on the injured list a few weeks ago with a sprained elbow. In late June, he admitted that an initial evaluation indicated surgery was likely necessary. Smith has since sought a second opinion, but apparently won’t be able to avoid surgery. Even in the best-case scenario, in which he “only” needs the internal bracing procedure, he’ll likely miss about a calendar year. A full UCL reconstruction could cost him the entire 2025 season.
Smith has spent his entire major league career with the Mets. He was initially drafted by the Rays in 2015 and was sent to New York as a first baseman prospect Lucas Duda. Smith made his MLB debut the following year, appearing in 27 games as a rookie before undergoing Tommy John surgery that wiped out his 2019 campaign and limited him during the shortened year.
Over the past three and a half seasons, Smith has been a solid contributor in the middle to late innings, posting a 2.40 ERA in 41 1/3 innings in 2021. His ERA has improved in subsequent seasons, but he’s missed more bats and logged a few more innings along the way. The 30-year-old righty has gotten off to a strong start this season, posting a 3.06 ERA with a 29.1% strikeout rate (hardly a career high) in 17 2/3 frames.
Smith is a free agent, so this could be a tough end to his time in Queens. It’s a particularly unfortunate timing for what will be the second major elbow procedure of his career. Smith’s early-season performance seemed to allow him to get a strong two-year deal. The surgery could limit him to a slightly backloaded two-year offer with a much lower base salary, especially if he misses the entirety of next season.
