One of the key pieces of the Red Sox's offseason overhaul will have to wait until 2017 to make a real impact in Boston.
Reliever Carson Smith, who went on the disabled list last week with soreness in his pitching elbow, will have Tommy John surgery on Tuesday, the team announced.
The 26-year-old opened the season on the DL after suffering a flexor tendon strain during spring training and didn't make his Red Sox debut until May 3. He threw 27 pitches in his next appearance six days later and had one more outing on May 14 before being shut down.
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Boston acquired Smith from the Mariners in December in a trade that sent starter Wade Miley to Seattle. It was widely viewed as a coup for the Red Sox at the time after Smith posted a 2.31 ERA and 13 saves in 70 relief appearances in 2015, his first full year in the majors. Smith struck out 92 batters and walked 22 in 70 innings.
Now the Red Sox will have to hope that form returns after reconstructive elbow surgery that could keep Smith on the sideline through the early part of next season.
