What’s next for Dominic Smith?

It’s rare to get an April day full of New York Mets trade rumors. That’s exactly what we got on April 2, starting at around 3 in the morning and lasting until around dinnertime.

There was reportedly a trade on the table for the Mets to send Dominic Smith to the San Diego Padres for Eric Hosmer, Chris Paddack, and possibly another player. The Padres would eat a portion of Hosmer’s salary and many believed the Mets would then look to deal Hosmer elsewhere.

It didn’t happen. We wake up on Sunday and those Mets trade rumors that delayed us from getting on with our day are dead. So what’s next for Dominic Smith?

The Mets trade rumors about Dominic Smith are dead but where does he fit in now?

According to Andy Martino, those late offseason Mets trade rumors weren’t the kind of news Smith was hoping to hear. Not only would he welcome a deal to the Padres (expected because Dom is a positive guy) but he is also not happy with a bench role on the Mets.

Smith’s role with the Mets this year was going to have him in a part-time role playing some first base, left field, and maybe even DH a couple of games. There were no surprises. He was going to give them depth and a left-handed-hitting option behind expected starting left fielder Mark Canha.

If Smith really is unhappy with a bench role in the way this idea is presented, he’ll probably remain on the trade block permanently. Smith isn’t going to show his negative emotion. Just because he is unhappy with the situation doesn’t mean he’ll sit in the dugout with a rain cloud over his head. This is the same guy who lost his first base job to Pete Alonso before 2019 and became the Rookie of the Year’s biggest cheerleader. Smith worked hard to become a respectable left fielder and was arguably the team MVP in 2020.

Smith can be unhappy with his role on the Mets and not let it show or affect the team negatively. In fact, it might just drive him to be his absolute best.

The Smith should be a focus of future Mets trade rumors and likely will. He’s the kind of guy the Mets can dangle out there all year long in a variety of trades. At the deadline, if he remains a part-time player, it wouldn’t be so crazy for them to trade him, even for prospects they can then use for a deal of their own.

As of now, the trade with the Padres is off. Smith is a member of the Mets. Upset or not, we should expect him to publicly embrace whatever role it is the team gives him.