Nationals’ Dominic Smith makes return to Citi Subject, the place all of it started
A well-known face returned to Citi Subject on Tuesday, making for an emotional evening for one who was a Met from the beginning.
“I’ll attempt to not get emotional, we’ll see the way it goes,” Dominic Smith mentioned earlier than the Nationals blanked the Mets, 5-0.
In November, the Mets didn’t lengthen Smith’s contract after the previous first-round decide (eleventh total in 2013) posted a second straight lackluster season, working into accidents and struggling on the plate.
Smith’s breakout got here in 2020, hitting .316 with 10 dwelling runs and 42 RBIs in 199 plate appearances.
The next two years had been a battle and through his last months with the Mets, Smith hit .194 in 58 video games and 152 plate appearances within the majors, whereas bouncing between the Mets and Triple-A Syracuse.
The previous was regardless of on the Mets’ finish, because the stadium performed a tribute video to Smith whereas followers clapped and hollered, honoring his six years in New York.
As a free agent, Smith was on the lookout for taking part in time and Washington is giving it to him on a one-year, $2 million platter. He has performed in 19 of the Nationals’ 22 video games this season. Smith went 1-for-4 with a stroll Tuesday and is hitting .234 with 4 RBIs.
“That’s what was an enormous promoting level for me to come back over right here,” Smith mentioned. “We now have some good younger expertise on this roster and so they simply received a World Collection in 2019. So, coming to a company who believes extremely in you, I really feel like that’s what you needed to do and needed to be part of.”
With the added taking part in time, comes the mandatory repetitions on the plate. Smith mentioned he has “not but” discovered a rhythm, however he and Nationals’ supervisor Dave Martinez hope to search out Smith’s spark once more.
“It’s early within the season, we’re gonna get him proper along with his swing,” mentioned Martinez. “Hopefully at the moment, this may jump-start him somewhat bit. He may have the identical efficiency that he did in opposition to us in opposition to them.”
Forward of the matchup, Smith mentioned he was excited to play along with his new group and hopefully make it “robust” for his now division rival.
“I’m extraordinarily joyful … I simply wish to assist these younger guys, assist myself, and the entire group get again to the place we had been in [2019],” he mentioned.