5 Mets players who've butchered our trust in them

3) NY Mets pitcher Drew Smith slaughtered any trust we had in him

Our trust in Drew Smith might have been blown a little out of proportion heading into this year. A good yet not great reliever during his past seasons with the Mets, Smith’s season numbers aren’t horrific. It’s his tendency to suffer in high-leverage situations which has many fans curious if he’ll stick around for next season.

Smith hasn’t done himself any favors in elevating up the ladder into a bigger role. He’s essentially a seventh inning man at best. When giving him opportunities in the eighth or ninth, Smith has been far less reliable.

A poor career FIP seems to have finally caught up with him. This statistic measures what a pitcher’s expected ERA might be. Last year, Smith posted a 3.33 ERA but had a 4.33 FIP. The contrast was even greater in 2021 when he pitched to a 2.40 ERA but had a 4.69 FIP.

There is room for Smith to return to the Mets next year and try to figure things out. However, expecting him to take another step forward is out of the question. He is what he is and that’s a middle-of-the-road arm who can shine at times and darken our days on others.