Smith signed a minor-league contract with the White Sox earlier this month, Chris Hilburn-Trenkle of Baseball America reports.
The 29-year-old is expected to open the 2022 campaign at Triple-A Charlotte while serving as organizational outfield depth. While in the Reds system in 2021, Smith spent the entire season at Triple-A, but he saw big-league action with either the Blue Jays and Orioles in each of the prior four years. Over 568 career plate appearances, Smith has produced a .248/.310/.416 slash line (90 wRC+) with 17 home runs, seven stolen bases, 68 RBI and 66 runs.
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Reds' Dwight Smith: Moves to minors camp
Rotowire
Smith was reassigned to minor-league camp Friday.
Smith was in camp competing for the fifth outfielder spot but evidently didn't do much to impress the Reds, as he's out of that competition nearly three weeks before Opening Day. Smith has hit just .238/.298/.405 over the last two seasons while playing sub-par defense in left field.
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Reds' Dwight Smith: Headed to Cincinnati
Rotowire
Smith signed a contract with the Reds on Monday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Smith spent the last two seasons with Baltimore, though he struggled at the dish. In just 21 contests in 2020, he hit .222 with two home runs, six RBI and a stolen base.
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Orioles' Dwight Smith: Sent outright to satellite camp
Rotowire
Smith was sent outright to Baltimore's alternate camp site Thursday, Dan Connolly of The Athletic reports.
Smith will remain with Baltimore after passing through waivers unclaimed. Prior to being designated for assignment, the outfielder hit .222/.306/.365 with two home runs and six RBI across 72 plate appearances.
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Orioles' Dwight Smith: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Smith was designated for assignment by the Orioles on Saturday when Mason Williams was called up.
Smith originally appeared to have the everyday left field position locked down but was recently benched in three of the team's last seven games. The promotion of top prospect Ryan Mountcastle definitely played a part in Smith's demotion, as he was given the start in left field Saturday for his major-league debut. Smith was struggling at the plate, hitting a meager .222/.306/.365 with two home runs and six RBI across 72 plate appearances. There is still no telling what the Orioles plan to do with the 27-year-old outfielder but an official decision will come within the next week.
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Orioles' Dwight Smith: Not in Friday's lineup
Rotowire
Smith will not start Friday's game against Boston, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
The arrival of Ryan Mountcastle should impact the playing time of several Orioles at the corner infield and outfield positions. Mountcastle will be the left fielder Friday, pushing Smith to the bench, though whether or not that will be the plan in the majority of games going forward remains to be seen.
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Orioles' Dwight Smith: Not starting Monday
Rotowire
Smith is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Blue Jays, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Smith sits for the second time in three days with the Orioles facing another lefty, Hyun-Jin Ryu. Pat Valaika will get the start in left field.
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Orioles' Dwight Smith: On bench Saturday
Rotowire
Smith isn't in the lineup Saturday against the Nationals.
Smith went 1-for-4 with one RBI in Friday's blowout loss to the Nationals, and he'll get a day off Saturday. Pat Valaika will start in left field, batting sixth.
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Orioles' Dwight Smith: Back-to-back two-hit games
Rotowire
Smith went 2-for-4 with a double, a walk, an RBI and a run scored in Wednesday's 5-4 win over the Phillies.
Smith also doubled as part of a two-hit day in Tuesday's series opener and seems to be solidifying himself as the Orioles' primary option in left field following DJ Stewart's demotion to the team's alternate training site a week ago. He'll be in the lineup again Thursday as the Orioles' No. 6 hitter, marking Smith's seventh consecutive start.
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Orioles' Dwight Smith: Settling into everyday role
Rotowire
Smith will start in left field and bat fifth Sunday against the Nationals, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Following DJ Stewart's demotion to the Orioles' alternate site Wednesday, Smith has emerged as the team's clear top option in left field. Though he'll be making his fourth straight start Sunday, Smith is still sitting on a meager .281 on-base percentage on the season. As such, Smith may not have an especially long leash in a full-time role.
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Orioles' Dwight Smith: Belts first long ball of season
Rotowire
Smith went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's loss to the Yankees.
Smith jumped on a Gerrit Cole fastball in the seventh inning, sending it 398 feet over the right field wall. The 27-year-old was making his first start of the season as he sits fourth on Baltimore's outfield depth chart.
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Orioles' Dwight Smith: Cleared for Opening Day
Rotowire
The Orioles activated Smith (not injury related) from the COVID-19 injured list Wednesday.
Smith was a late arrival at summer camp following a positive COVID-19 test, but he has since returned to full health and was cleared to rejoin the team for workouts July 17. Though manager Brandon Hyde had some concerns that Smith wouldn't have sufficient training time ahead of Opening Day, the Orioles' decision to activate him implies they're satisfied with where he stands. Smith is expected to begin the season as a fourth outfielder, with Anthony Santander, Austin Hays and DJ Stewart likely to serve as the club's primary starters.
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Orioles' Dwight Smith: Faces live pitching
Rotowire
Smith (illness) faced lived pitching Tuesday, Joe Trezza of MLB.com reports.
Smith tested positive for COVID-19 during intake testing, so he wasn't able to report to camp until Friday. He remains on the COVID-19 injured list but is eligible to return at any time, so he hasn't been ruled out for Opening Day.
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Orioles' Dwight Smith: Heads to COVID-19 IL
Rotowire
The Orioles placed Smith (not injury related) on the COVID-19 injured list Monday.
Per Jon Meoli of The Baltimore Sun, Smith revealed in a video call Saturday that his delayed arrival at summer camp was due to a positive COVID-19 test, which occurred July 1 as part of the Orioles' intake testing process at Camden Yards. Smith indicated that he was asymptomatic, but he wasn't cleared to join the Orioles for workouts for more than two weeks. Per Joe Trezza of MLB.com, manager Brandon Hyde said Smith is eligible to come off the IL at any time, so the outfielder could still break camp with the club if the Orioles are convinced that he's gotten sufficient reps in ahead of Opening Day.
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Orioles' Dwight Smith: Lands on injured list
Rotowire
Manager Brandon Hyde said Sunday that Smith (undisclosed) will be placed on the injured list due to his late arrival to camp, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Smith missed the first several weeks of camp for an undisclosed reason but reported Friday. The team planned to build the 27-year-old up slowly, so his placement on the injured list doesn't come as a big surprise. Hyde stated that Smith could be removed from the list at any time, so it's still possible that he could be on the Opening Day roster if the team feels that he's ready.
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Orioles' Dwight Smith: Back at camp
Rotowire
Smith (undisclosed) reported to Orioles summer camp Friday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
The 27-year-old has been absent from the first couple weeks of camp for undisclosed reasons, but he's now joined his teammates at workouts. The team apparently plans to build Smith up slowly, so it seems unlikely he'll be ready for games by Opening Day.
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Orioles' Dwight Smith: Lacking in versatility
Rotowire
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said Thursday that Smith won't be a backup option in center field and is viewed primarily as a left fielder, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports. "Smitty's most comfortable in left. I think there's a situation where he could play right, but he's not a center field option for me."
Considering that Anthony Santander and Trey Mancini are viewed as the primary options in left and right field, respectively, it's not ideal that Smith isn't trusted to play center, which is normally a requirement for a fourth outfielder. The addition of an extra active roster spot for MLB teams in 2020 along with DJ Stewart's (ankle) ongoing recovery from offseason surgery helps Smith's case for breaking camp with the big club, but the 27-year-old may need to elevate his production at the plate to ensure he keeps a spot in Baltimore all season. He started out hot in 2019 before fading badly in the second half, wrapping up his first year in Baltimore with a .241/.297/.412 slash line (83 wRC+).
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Orioles' Dwight Smith: Remains on bench Sunday
Rotowire
Smith is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Red Sox, Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports reports.
Smith will finish the season on the bench for the second consecutive contest. Trey Mancini will start in left field while Renato Nunez takes over at first base.
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Orioles' Dwight Smith: Rides pine Saturday
Rotowire
Smith is not in Saturday's lineup against the Red Sox.
He is hitting .261 with one home run and zero steals in 17 games this month. DJ Stewart is starting in left field while Trey Mancini starts in right field.
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Orioles' Dwight Smith: Hits 13th homer
Rotowire
Smith went 3-for-4 with a solo home run, three RBI and two runs in an 11-4 victory against the Blue Jays on Tuesday.
This was Smith's first homer since July 23. The 26-year-old only had two homers in his career prior to this season, but despite the drought, he now has 13 long balls in 99 games this season. The three hits also raise Smith's average to its highest mark since the beginning of July. He is batting .243 with 53 RBI, 46 runs and five steals in 350 at-bats this season.
