Red Sox DFA veteran first baseman, while Triston Casas returns off the IL
With the Red Sox activating first baseman Triston Casas off the injured list Friday night, the club decided to move on from the player who held down the fort in his absence.
Boston designated Dom Smith for assignment, as first reported by FanSided’s Robert Murray.
Casas’ return to the Red Sox lineup always meant Smith would be out of a job with the club. Both Casas and Smith are left-handed, and having them both on the roster would have been redundant.
Red Sox skipper Alex Cora offered praise for Smith’s contributions on and off the field.
“He was outstanding. Outstanding,” Cora said. “It’s one of those that’s a tough decision. But one that everybody knew was going to happen. Roster-wise, it was hard to keep him with us. But he put in great at-bats. He only had one bad defensive week. He didn’t make like two plays. But after that, he settled down. The picks at first base and the calmness for the guys around him was very important. In the clubhouse, huge. It was very important for those guys. Always upbeat, always ready to go. He found his groove two weeks ago or three weeks ago.
“He’s A-plus. A-plus. He’s a good player. He’s still young, and he has a bright future, still, in the game.”
The 29-year-old joined the Red Sox on May 1 after he exercised an opt-out clause in his minor league deal with the Rays. Smith played 83 games for Boston (including 69 starts), hitting .237 with six homers, 20 doubles, and a .706 OPS.
The veteran first baseman had a strong month of July, where he hit .290 with three homers and 10 doubles and posted a .921 OPS in 24 games.
Meanwhile, Casas returned to the Red Sox lineup, batting third and playing first base. The returning slugger went 1-for-5 with a run scored and two strikeouts.
“Every game matters,” said Casas. “So I think we don't know which one's going to make the difference. I was trying to come back as soon as possible because every win matters just as much as the next one. The team's in a good position, and we're going to play good baseball. And I feel like I'm going to be right in the middle of it, helping the team with great at-bats and quality defense. “
Boston has seven days to waive or release Smith; they could get lucky and outright him to the minors. It’s highly likely another club will either claim him or sign him; it doesn’t seem likely he will accept an assignment to Triple-A Worcester.
“He was a pro about it,” Cora said. “We talked to him this morning. Let’s see what the future holds. When you have those conversations, thinking about the player, hopefully someone picks him up and he stays in the big leagues. If not, we’ll see what happens.”
