BBTF's Newsblog Discussion :: Rangers, LHP Will Smith agree to 1-year, $1.5M deal

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Sunday, March 05, 2023

Rangers, LHP Will Smith agree to 1-year, $1.5M deal

Left-handed reliever Will Smith agreed to a $1.5 million, one-year contract with the Texas Rangers on Saturday and will report to spring training.

Smith, 33, was 0-3 with a 3.97 ERA and five saves in 65 relief appearances last year for Atlanta and Houston, which acquired him on Aug. 2 for current Ranger Jake Odorizzi. The Astros declined a $13 million option on Nov. 9, allowing Smith to become a free agent as he completed a $40 million, three-year contract.

He was an All-Star with San Francisco in 2019, the final season with the Giants for current Rangers manager Bruce Bochy. Smith had a career-high 37 saves for Atlanta in 2021.

RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: March 05, 2023 at 07:01 PM | 5 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
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1. Walt Davis Posted: March 05, 2023 at 07:36 PM (#6119584)

This seems like a very good get for $1.5 M. He's been quite mediocre the last 3 seasons but he was good before that and the K-rate is still good. If nothing else, you get a durable reliever who probably won't suck.

2. BDC

Posted: March 05, 2023 at 09:18 PM (#6119592)

Yes, another move that seemed odd to me, at least in that nobody else was interested. Something called "Spotrac" tells me that Smith's contract ties him for 111th-119th highest-paid among relief pitchers, which sounds low for a guy who had 37 saves a couple of years ago.

Left-handed closers were pretty common in the 1980s, began to dwindle thereafter, and all but disappeared around 2010; but they have seen a resurgence of late. Smith certainly benefited from teams being willing to give him the job although he throws LH; ten years earlier it might have been unthinkable.

3. Russ Posted: March 06, 2023 at 01:35 PM (#6119661)

Imagine if he had hit Chris Rock with his dominant hand.. I guess he watched Bull Durham.

4. Walt Davis Posted: March 06, 2023 at 02:37 PM (#6119678)

Imagine if he had hit Chris Rock with his dominant hand

That was the Dodgers' catcher.

EDIT: There has not been a John Smith in MLB since 1948 unless you want to count John Dwight Smith Sr and Jr. There have been 11 Calebs since 2013 (none before that).

5. Howie Menckel Posted: March 06, 2023 at 02:40 PM (#6119679)

from 3 years for $40 million to 1 year for $1.5 million?

now THAT is a slap in the face...

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Sunday, March 05, 2023

Rangers, LHP Will Smith agree to 1-year, $1.5M deal

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