3 Mets players who've sealed their fate in the final weeks of the 2023 season

2) NY Mets reliever Drew Smith has proven the team should move on

On the other end of the spectrum, we have Drew Smith. A well-liked reliever leading up to this year, it always seemed like Drew Smith was closing in on becoming a steady setup man for the Mets. There have been flashes in the past. He has been good for a while, but never quite more than a middle reliever you’d call upon in the sixth or seventh inning of a game you’re trying to win.

Unfortunately, Smith has failed to capture our attention in a positive way. He is consistently blowing leads or ending ties. We cannot count on him for those bigger frames. He is what he is and that might be a trade candidate.

After 54.1 innings of working spanning 60 appearances, Smith is 4-6 with a 4.31 ERA. He’s the owner of a 1.39 WHIP and a walk rate of 4.5 per 9 innings of work.

There’s definitely room for Smith on next year’s roster, but if the team isn’t planning to keep around too many players whose contracts expire after 2024, what’s the point? As down as we may be on a pitcher like Smith, other teams will need someone like him. They won’t have to pay a premium price to acquire him. Something along the lines of what the Mets gave up for Brooks Raley but less so is what we should expect to receive in return. He’s a decent enough reliever to help add a lottery ticket to the farm system. Expecting much more from Smith on the field or from the return via trade is a huge reach.