New York Mets reliever Drew Smith is no stranger to the challenges of recovering from injury, but his recent Tommy John surgery, his second in his career, has presented a new set of emotional and physical hurdles. Smith, who last pitched on June 23 against the Chicago Cubs, underwent surgery with an internal brace procedure that is expected to keep him off the mound until 2026.
In an exclusive interview conducted on August 13, just a month after the surgery, Smith opened up about the emotional toll the injury has taken on him. "It's harder emotionally than it is physically, like way harder emotionally," Smith admitted. "I felt like I was in a really good spot and things were moving forward. I liked where I was at and I was really looking forward to the second half of the season and some adjustments I had made. But, unfortunately, it's part of the game."
Smith, who was optimistic about the progress he had made this season, was candid about the unfair nature of injuries in baseball. "The game is unfair. It doesn't pick and choose who it injures or anything like that. It just happens to guys, and you just got to deal with it and not feel sorry for yourself and move on. But yeah, emotionally, it's been really tough for sure."
The timing of the injury couldn’t be worse, as Smith is slated to hit free agency after this season. With the recovery from Tommy John surgery typically ranging from 12 to 18 months, Smith acknowledged that he might not pitch at all next season. "Next year, if I pitch at all, obviously, it's at the very, very end of the year," he said. "So, teams know that and they see that. But obviously, if you're signing me for a two-year deal, you're signing me for the second year, knowing that I'll be healthy and being able to pitch that second year."
Smith is leaving the business side of things to his agent, who he trusts to navigate the uncertainties of his future. "Thankfully, I have a really good agent and I can just focus on the rehab process and getting through it healthy."
Despite the daunting rehab process ahead, Smith finds some solace in the fact that there is precedent for players successfully returning from such setbacks. "Lots of teams have tremendous success with that, signing a guy through the rehab," Smith noted. He referenced examples like John Curtiss, who signed with the Mets while rehabbing from a similar injury, and Tommy Kahnle, who signed with the Dodgers while recovering from elbow surgery. "So, there is precedent and that gives me a little bit of hope for the next couple of years."
Smith has also found comfort in being around his teammates during this challenging time, even though he can't contribute on the field. "I got to watch on TV for the last month or so, but it was fun watching them and I'm just glad I can be back," Smith said. "Obviously, I'm not on the field with them contributing, but just being back around and hanging out with the guys and supporting them any way I can, it's what I want to be here for."
However, being away from the team during his recovery was difficult for Smith, who admitted that even the comforts of home couldn't replace the camaraderie of the clubhouse. "I was at home for a month and I hate saying I didn't enjoy being home because everybody loves being home, but I knew it was the middle of July and I'm like, I'm not supposed to be here right now. All I could think about was getting back here and hanging out with the guys and supporting them any way I can."
The mental aspect of the recovery is something Smith is all too familiar with, having gone through it once before. "The mental block, thankfully, usually you can get over it still during the rehab process," he explained. "You obviously have to throw off the mound during the rehab process and you have to throw in games. It's not like you're throwing right back into a big league game. So, usually when you get to that point, you're over that little mental block."
For Smith, the reward comes at the end of the grueling rehab process. "When you get through it, it's truly one of the more rewarding things that you can feel, and I'm just looking forward to getting on the other side of it here and hopefully as soon as I can."
As he embarks on this difficult journey, Drew Smith remains focused on the future, determined to overcome this latest setback and return to the mound stronger than ever.
Here is the complete interview with Drew:
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