Red Sox to Sign MLB Vet After Yet Another Injury
By Ryan Bunton
After new acquisition Garrett Cooper was forced to leave the game on Tuesday night in only his third plate appearance in a Red Sox uniform, Boston has yet again had to scour the baseball landscape for reinforcements. Cooper, whom the Red Sox scooped up from the Chicago Cubs on Saturday, was hit by a pitch on the hand in the fifth inning of last night's contest and had to exit.
Cooper's injury status and timetable for return are not immediately known.
Cooper was acquired after star first baseman Triston Casas was ruled out for an "extended period" following a rib injury. Boston currently has 13 players on their injured list.
Smith, 28, has appeared in 600 MLB career MLB games, featuring mostly for the New York Mets. A left-handed bat, he is a career .248 hitter with 58 long balls and 225 RBI.
Smith has not appeared in an MLB game this season, instead playing 21 games for the Tampa Bay Rays' Triple A affiliate, Durham Bulls. In those 21 games, the former 11th overall pick has hit .263 with 2 home runs and 11 RBI. Smith opted out of his minor league contract on Wednesday.
In addition to Smith, the Red Sox also traded cash considerations to the New York Mets for shortstop Zack Short on Tuesday morning as they continue to plug holes due to the injury bugs. Short was designated for assignment by the Mets after a 1-11 start to the season at the plate.
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