Drew Smith’s 2021 season was filled with highs and lows. He was a better pitcher out of the bullpen when he was pitching. Not without a few hiccups, but what reliever isn’t?
However, he struggled with injuries once again this season, beginning the year injured and finishing it injured.
When he was out with an injury, his steadiness was badly missed, and his early season’s end coincided with the team’s slide in the standings along with the injuries to Jacob deGRom and Francisco Lindor, which contributed even more to the team’s downfall.
Smith has a 3.18 ERA, 4.41 FIP, 7.78 K/9, and 1.21 WHIP during his career. In 76.1 innings pitched, he has a 125 ERA+.
In three seasons with the major league club, he’s been a very good reliever, however one of those was the COVID-shortened 2020 season, in which he only threw 7 innings.
That was his poorest season, with an uncharacteristically high ERA of 6.43 and a 5.76 FIP, resulting in an ERA+ of just 70.
However, he returned from Tommy John surgery that season and was used sparingly and inconsistently by Luis Rojas.
His forecasts for 2022 appear to be weighed down by that tiny sample size season, as all of the numbers are significantly higher than previous season and edging closer to the 7 innings he pitched in 2020.
Smith has a 4.32 ERA, 4.54 FIP, 9.50 K/9, and 1.30 WHIP, according to ZiPS.
These metrics point to Smith having a less successful season, but given his stellar performance last year, there’s reason to believe that these estimates are underestimating him.
Who Are Drew Smith Parents?
Drew Smith was born to DeWayne and Laurie Smith.