Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News is reporting that Giants reliever Will Smith will undergo season ending Tommy John surgery next week, ruling him out for all of the 2017 season.
Will Smith will undergo Tommy John next week in LA with Dr. ElAttrache. Ruled out alternatives because he wants to be ready for 2018.
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) March 24, 2017
Smith: “I was trying to stay optimistic, but this is what we have to do. This is our life.”
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) March 24, 2017
The procedure will be a major blow to a Giants’ bullpen that was counting on Smith to be the club’s primary left-handed setup man this season.
“We’ll have to have somebody step up in the seventh and eighth innings,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “That was going to be Will’s role with his experience and his ability to go through left-handers and right-handers. He’s a guy we were leaning on to be one of those guys.”
Both Giants orthopedist Dr. Ken Akizuki and Dr. Neal ElAttrache of the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic in Los Angeles recommended the surgery on Smith’s torn ulnar collateral ligament according to Baggarly.
Smith, 27, missed the first month of camp due to pain in his left elbow. That pain resurfaced shortly after his return to the mound on March 20, with Smith having to leave the game after gesturing for a trainer.
Left-hander Steven Okert, 25, has been the best of the remaining lefty relievers this spring, not allowing a single run, and seems most likely to get the first crack at what was supposed to be Smith’s spot in bullpen. Josh Osich is another option, but has looked unreliable both during spring training, and last season when he posted a 4.71 ERA. Young left-handed starter Ty Blach is also a possibility, should Matt Cain begin the season as the club’s fifth starter.
The Giants traded for Smith midway through last season, sending backup catcher Andrew Susac and right-hander Phil Bickford to the Brewers in exchange. After a shaky start, Smith finished off the 2016 strong, with a 2.95 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 26 appearances as a member of the Giants. Ironically, Smith is considered one of the most durable relievers in Major League Baseball, leading the NL with 78 appearances in 2014 and pitching in 76 games the following season.
Smith will earn $2.5 million after going through arbitration in 2017, and is under the club’s control until 2019.