Smith announced his retirement from professional baseball Wednesday, Excel Baseball reports.
Smith didn't pitch anywhere in 2023 after being released during the second half of the 2022 season following an unsuccessful stint with the Twins. While his career might not have wrapped up how he wanted, Smith was an above-average reliever for most of his 15 seasons, finishing with a 3.14 ERA and 666:254 K:BB over 762.1 innings.
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Joe Smith: Released by Twins
Rotowire
Smith was released by the Twins on Friday, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.
He did not allow an earned run in his first 16 games of the season but logged a 9.22 ERA in his last 18 games, leading to the Twins designating him for assignment earlier this week. Smith will likely have to settle for a minor-league deal if he signs elsewhere.
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Twins' Joe Smith: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Smith was designated for assignment by the Twins on Wednesday, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.
Smith was reinstated from the injured list in mid-July and posted a 13.50 ERA and 1.93 WHIP in 4.2 innings over six appearances following his return. He'll be cast off the 40-man roster after Caleb Thielbar (hamstring) was reinstated from the 15-day IL on Wednesday.
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Twins' Joe Smith: Officially activated from IL
Rotowire
Smith (back) was activated from the 15-day injured list Wednesday.
Smith will make his return to the Twins' bullpen after missing close to the minimum 15 days while on the IL with a back issue. The right-hander has produced a 2.78 ERA and 1.46 WHIP with 13 strikeouts over 22.2 innings in 28 appearances this season.
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Twins' Joe Smith: Could be activated Wednesday
Rotowire
Smith (back) could be activated from the injured list Tuesday, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.
Smith has been sidelined since landing on the injured list in late June, but he is nearly ready to rejoin Minnesota's bullpen, and it appears he will not need a rehab assignment before doing so.
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Twins' Joe Smith: Could return from IL shortly
Rotowire
Smith (upper trapezius) will travel with the Twins on the upcoming six-game road trip and could be activated during the trip, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
The 38-year-old has been dependable in a setup role for the Twins in 2022, collecting a win and 14 holds while supplying a 2.78 ERA and 1.46 WHIP across 22.2 innings. His return will be welcome amid Minnesota's recent late-inning bullpen woes.
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Twins' Joe Smith: Goes on IL
Rotowire
The Twins placed Smith on the 15-day injured list Sunday with upper trapezius tightness.
Smith's IL stint is retroactive to Friday, so he won't be eligible for activation until July 9. The 38-year-old has been dependable in a setup role for the Twins in 2022, collecting a win and 14 holds while supplying a 2.78 ERA and 1.46 WHIP across 22.2 innings.
Smith threw a scoreless seventh inning to record his fifth hold in Sunday's win over Oakland. He hasn't allowed a run in 10.1 innings this season over 12 appearances.
Smith was signed in the offseason to give the bullpen a veteran middle reliever, and he's been outstanding in his role. He has just six strikeouts, but he's been generating groundballs at a high rate (1.67 GO/AO). He should continue to have a prominent setup role but won't likely finish games or get save chances.
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Twins' Joe Smith: Signs with Twins
Rotowire
Smith signed a contract with the Twins on Saturday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
Smith made 50 relief appearances for the Astros and Mariners last year and posted a 4.99 ERA and 1.39 WHIP in 39.2 innings. However, he recorded a 1.80 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in 25 innings during the 2019 campaign and will attempt to bounce back with Minnesota. The right-hander has recorded just nine holds across his last two seasons but should compete for a setup role heading into 2022.
Smith was placed on the injured list with an undisclosed injury Saturday, Corey Brock of The Athletic reports.
Smith last pitched Sept. 29, when he was asked to record only one out. Since joining the Mariners on July 27, he has maintained a strong 2.12 ERA and 0.94 WHIP with 17 strikeouts across 17 innings. Andres Munoz was reinstated from the injured list Saturday and could help fill in out of the bullpen.
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Mariners' Joe Smith: Three straight scoreless efforts
Rotowire
Smith improved his record to 3-4 with a win over the Athletics on Thursday and has delivered three straight scoreless appearances and six in his last seven outings.
Smith fired a perfect fifth inning Thursday on an efficient eight pitches and then became the pitcher of record when the Mariners rallied to take the lead for good in the top half of the sixth. The veteran right-hander's recent strong stretch is an extension of the solid form he's demonstrated since arriving from the Astros shortly before the trade deadline -- he's allowed multiple earned runs in just one of 21 appearances with the Mariners after doing so in six of 27 outings with Houston.
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Mariners' Joe Smith: Picks up win in relief
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Smith (4-4) pitched two-thirds scoreless innings, allowing just one hit to earn the win over the Angels on Friday.
Smith entered the sixth inning with one out and runners on first and second base. He had a two-run lead, but both inherited runners scored to tie the game. The Mariners took the lead back in the seventh inning to give Smith the win. He's allowed just one earned run in his last eight appearances. On the season, the reliever has a 5.03 ERA and 1.40 WHIP with 34 punchouts in 39.1 innings.
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Mariners' Joe Smith: Takes fourth loss Tuesday
Rotowire
Smith (2-4) took the loss in a defeat at the hands of the Red Sox on Tuesday, allowing an earned run on one hit while recording two strikeouts over one-plus inning.
Smith came on to work the seventh of a 2-2 game and fired a scoreless frame with a pair of strikeouts, but the leadoff triple he yielded to Xander Bogaerts in the eighth eventually led to a run given up by Drew Steckenrider that went on Smith's ledger and resulted in a loss going on his ledger. The veteran right-hander saw a brief but encouraging streak of three consecutive scoreless appearances snapped with Tuesday's stumble, yet he's been solid overall save for a handful of instances since arriving in Seattle with a 2.45 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 0.6 HR/9 and two holds across 14.2 innings.
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Mariners' Joe Smith: Surrenders two in eighth
Rotowire
Smith (2-3) took the loss and blown save in Monday's 4-3 defeat at the hands of the Astros, allowing two runs on three hits in one-third of an inning.
Smith was selected to protect a one-run lead in the eighth inning and surrendered three singles while recording only one out to blow the lead and fall in line for the loss. This is Smith's second loss and blown save combo in his last three appearances. The veteran 37-year-old now has a 5.79 ERA on the season.
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Mariners' Joe Smith: Takes loss Thursday
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Smith (2-2) was charged with a loss and his first blown save in a defeat at the hands of the Royals on Thursday, allowing an earned run on two hits while recording a strikeout over one inning.
Smith inherited a thorny no-out, bases-loaded scenario from starter Yusei Kikuchi upon entering in the sixth inning and promptly surrendered a grand slam to Salvador Perez, which pushed the Royals ahead by a 5-4 margin. The blast effectively handed Smith the defeat after the Mariners went scoreless the rest of the way, but the one earned run he was charged with was the first he'd yielded in 9.2 innings with Seattle.
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Mariners' Joe Smith: Gets second win
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Smith (2-1) was credited with the win in an extra-innings victory over the Rangers on Thursday, issuing a walk over a scoreless 10th inning.
The impressive groove the veteran reliever has been in since joining the Mariners on July 27 continued Thursday, as Smith extended his scoreless streak to eight innings. The 37-year-old appears to be working his way into higher-leverage situations due to his strong body of work, as he has two holds in addition to Thursday's win with his new club.
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Mariners' Joe Smith: Still scoreless in Seattle
Rotowire
Smith fired a perfect 1.1 innings in a win over the Rays on Monday, recording two strikeouts.
The veteran's AL West change of scenery has agreed with him, as Smith now has three perfect frames over three appearances on his Mariners ledger. A reliable later-inning asset for most of his long career, Smith limped to a 7.48 ERA and 1.80 WHIP across 21.2 innings with the Astros before being moved to Seattle, but he could eventually start to see some higher-leverage opportunities in his new locale if he manages to keep up his current caliber of performance.
