Free-agent first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith signed a major-league deal with the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, according to sources. Smith was released by the Boston Red Sox recently after serving as their primary first baseman since May because of a rib-cage injury to Triston Casas. Smith's deal with the Reds is pending a physical. The 29-year-old left-handed hitter hit .237/.317/.390 with a .706 OPS, six home runs, 34 RBI and 29 runs scored in his 249 at-bats with Boston before being released this year. Smith has been a bit better since the All-Star break, though, and he could see some playing time in Cincy at first base against right-handed pitching now that Jeimer Candelario (toe) is on the injured list. The former 11th overall pick by the New York Mets in 2013 is a career .247/.314/.405 hitter in eight major-league seasons with a .719 OPS.UPDATE: Smith is making his Reds debut on Thursday against the Pittsburgh Pirates and rookie right-hander Paul Skenes, starting at first base and batting seventh at PNC Park.

The Boston Red Sox released first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith on Tuesday, and he's now free to sign with another club. Boston designated Smith for assignment last week and he's now on the open market after going unclaimed on waivers. The 29-year-old left-handed hitter saw action in 83 games for the Red Sox this year and hit .237/.317/.390 with a .706 OPS, six home runs, 34 RBI and 29 runs scored in 278 trips to the plate. The former 11th overall pick by the New York Mets in 2013 hasn't lived up to his draft stock in eight seasons to this point, posting a .247/.314/.405 slash line with a .719 OPS, 64 homers and 259 RBI in 683 games played. Smith is likely going to have to settle for a minor-league contract elsewhere and could be fighting an uphill battle to make it back to the big leagues before the end of the 2024 season.

The Boston Red Sox designated first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith for assignment on Friday and activated first baseman Triston Casas (rib cage) from the 60-day injured list in a corresponding move, according to sources. Smith gets the boot from the Red Sox's roster with Casas making his return for the first time since tearing cartilage in his rib cage in late April. The 29-year-old left-handed hitter had a solid month of July but overall hit .237/.317/.390 with a .706 OPS, six home runs, 20 doubles, 34 RBI and 29 runs scored in 83 total games for the Red Sox. Now that Casas is healthy, he'll return to being Boston's everyday first baseman. Smith could very well clear waivers and accept an assignment to the minors to stick in the organization.

The Boston Red Sox are expected to sign first baseman Dominic Smith after the Tampa Bay Rays released him from his minor-league contract on Wednesday. The Red Sox are short-handed at first base with injuries to Triston Casas (rib) and the recently signed Garrett Cooper (wrist), so they will take a flier on the 28-year-old, who can also play the outfield. Cooper is expected to be fine, though, and the Red Sox also have Bobby Dalbec capable of manning the cold corner, so Smith will probably just be a left-handed bench option at first base. Smith hit .254/.326/.366 with 12 home runs in 153 games with the Washington Nationals in 2023 and had gone 21-for-80 (.263) with two homers and 11 RBI at Triple-A Durham this year before being granted his release.

Chicago Cubs first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith (wrist) had surgery on Jan. 20 to remove the hamate bone from his right wrist and is still working his way back from the injury this spring as he competes for one of the team's final bench spots. He was taking live batting practice on Jan. 5 when he felt something in his right wrist. Smith isn't 100 percent yet, but he's feeling good enough to play and has looked good in 14 Cactus League at-bats. The 28-year-old left-handed hitter said he's been dealing with some form of wrist or hand pain since he debuted in the big leagues almost seven years ago. Once a consensus top-100 prospect with the Mets, Smith has struggled with his power, but perhaps finally fixing his hand/wrist issue will help him be more consistent and productive as a bench bat for the Cubbies in 2024.

Free-agent first baseman Dominic Smith (hand) and the Chicago Cubs agreed to a minor-league deal on Monday, according to a source familiar with the deal. The contract includes incentives and can max out at $3.5 million. The 28-year-old left-handed hitter had hamate-bone surgery in early January but should be full-go by the end of spring training. The Cubs added both Smith and veteran outfielder David Peralta on Monday. Smith is going to be a bench bat for the Cubs if he sticks around with the organization through the 2024 season, giving the team depth at first base mainly along with Michael Busch, Matt Mervis and Patrick Wisdom. After six years with the Mets, Smith hit .254/.326/.366 with a career-high 12 home runs, 46 RBI and 57 runs scored in 153 games for the Nationals in 2023. You can avoid him in mixed fantasy leagues.

The Washington Nationals designated first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith and right-hander Cory Abbott for assignment on Tuesday. In additional moves, they also selected the contracts of Zach Brzykcy, Cole Henry, DJ Herz and Mitchell Parker. Smith will now hit the open market as he heads into his final year of arbitration eligibility in 2024. The 28-year-old left-handed hitter hit .254/.326/.366 with a career-high 12 home runs, 21 doubles, one triple, 46 RBI and 57 runs scored in 586 trips to the plate and 153 games in his first and only season with the Nationals in 2023. Smith had a decent year for the rebuilding Nats this past season, but he's unlikely to find regular playing time with a new team in free agency this winter.

Washington Nationals first baseman Dominic Smith is out of the starting lineup for Friday's game against the San Francisco Giants. The left-handed slugger will sit this one out against left-hander Alex Wood. The Nationals will play matchups and have right-handed Michael Chavis cover first base and bat seventh on Friday. Also, Stone Garrett will play left field and bat sixth with Corey Dickerson sitting this game out. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups accordingly.

Washington Nationals first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith (quadriceps) said he's fine after being hit by a pitch on the outside of his right quad just above his knee in a Grapefruit League game on Tuesday against the St. Louis Cardinals. Smith said he would have fought to stay in the game if it was in the regular season. The 27-year-old should be considered day-to-day for now, but he could be back in a spring training game as soon as Wednesday. Smith hit just .194/.276/.284 with a career-low .560 OPS, no home runs, 17 RBI and 11 runs scored in his final season with the New York Mets in 2022 in 58 games played. He had some bad luck, though, and a rebound could be coming in a regular role at first base in 2023 with Washington.

Free-agent first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith is reportedly signing a one-year deal with the Washington Nationals, per a tweet from USA Today's Bob Nightengale on Tuesday. The New York Post's Jon Heyman reports the deal is worth $2 million guaranteed and can reach up to $4 million with incentives. The 27-year-old previously appeared in 58 games for the New York Mets last season, hitting .194 with a .276 on-base percentage in 152 plate appearances. He hit .284 with a .367 on-base percentage, 10 home runs and four stolen bases in 248 plate appearances for New York's Triple-A affiliate last season. As of now, Washington's current options at first base include Joey Meneses and Jeimer Candelario.

New York Mets outfielder Dominic Smith (ankle) has been activated from the 10-day injured list on Thursday. He has finally fully recovered from an ankle issue that has sidelined him since mid-July. They didn't really miss his bat considering he's hitting .194/.276/.284 with zero home runs in 58 games this season. That being said, the Mets decided to option Smith to Triple-A Syracuse. Fantasy managers can go ahead and find another fantasy option, assuming they were waiting for Smith to return.

The New York Mets have placed outfielder Dominic Smith (ankle) on the 10-day injured list. He is dealing with a right ankle sprain. Smith suffered the injury during last Saturday's game and his move to the injured list is retroactive to Sunday, July 17. The 27-year-old is in the midst of a dreadful season. Over 58 games, he's slashed just .194/.276/.284 and he's still searching for his first homer of the year. His struggles have been one of the factors that has led to the team's pursuit of another bat ahead of August's trade deadline.

The New York Mets optioned first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith to Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday and recalled right-hander Adonis Medina from Syracuse in a corresponding move. Smith has been atrocious this year, hitting just .186/.287/.256 with no home runs, 14 RBI, seven runs scored and 24 strikeouts in 101 plate appearances over 39 games, so he'll go to the minors to work on his approach. He has started only 12 games since May 1. Smith will likely resurface with the Mets at some point this year, but a change of scenery might be more beneficial to the 26-year-old at this juncture. In six big-league seasons in New York, Smith has hit .247/.310/.428 with a .738 OPS and 46 home runs in 428 games played.

New York Mets outfielders Brandon Nimmo and Mark Canha are out of the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. It appears both players have caught COVID-19 after being in close contact with a staff member who had it as well. Fantasy managers can expect to be without both Nimmo and Canha for a few days. Travis Jankowski is in center field and batting eighth versus righty Zach Davis. Jeff McNeil will bat leadoff and play left field in this one. McNeil is the much better fantasy option and DFS play for Friday's slate.

New York Mets first baseman/outfielder will get his first start of the season Saturday against the Washington Nationals, according to MLB.com. He will play first base and bat sixth. Smith appeared in last night's game as a pinch hitter, striking out in his only at-bat. Last season, the 26-year-old had a difficult time at the plate, slashing .244/.304/.363 with 11 HRs over 145 games, a season after he managed a .993 OPS. However, it was later revealed that Smith dealt with a torn labrum, so he'll look to bounce back with a healthy campaign. As it stands, he won't play every day but should still see plenty of playing time, especially against left-handers, whom he hit .312 against in 2021.

New York Mets first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith (shoulder) played with a partially torn labrum in his right shoulder last season. Smith also dealt with a right wrist strain and a groin issue in 2021, but through it all, he still managed to play in 145 games. After his shoulder injury, he wasn't the same hitter after being one of the league's best hitters in 2020 with a .316/.377/.616 slash line, 10 home runs and 42 RBI. Smith hit just .244/.304/.363 with 11 home runs and 58 RBI last year. The left-handed hitter developed poor habits while overcompensating for his various injuries. The 27-year-old thinks he's healed now and made it a point to strengthen his lower body this year. It's something to watch in 2022, but if he's truly past his injuries, Smith should be able to bounce back for the Mets.

New York Mets first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith has come off the bereavement list, in time for Monday's game against the Washington Nationals. In a corresponding move, the Mets have optioned catcher Chance Sisco. Smith has had a subpar year thus far, slashing .247/.307/.365 with 11 HRs, 55 RBI, and 41 runs across 125 games. The lack of production has been surprising, given the .937 OPS he put up over 2019 and 2020. There's no reason to play Smith in any league, as he provides little value across the board and won't get everyday playing time as a result.

New York Mets first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in the Mets 2-1 loss to the Nationals on Friday. Smith, who stands to lose playing time in left field with Jeff McNeil being shifted to the position as a result of Francisco Lindor's return from the injured list, has really struggled at the plate in August. Over his last 15 games, Smith is hitting just .143/.173/.163 with no home runs and three RBI in 49 at-bats. Smith is also batting just .198/.209/.235 with no home runs and seven RBI in 81 August at-bats. Smith, who hasn't homered since July 21, has had a horrible campaign in 2021 after a 2020 breakout in which he hit .316/.377/.616 with 10 home runs and 42 RBI over 50 games. Firmly on 2021 pre-season draft boards just outside of the top-100, it is safe to say Smith has not lived up to expectations, especially considering his 2020 metrics did not suggest regression. Fantasy managers in dynasty formats should hold on to Smith to see if he can rebound in 2022, especially given his 2020 performance. Managers in all redraft formats should, however, move on from the underperforming 26-year old who, as stated, also stands to lose regular playing time in the final month of the season.

Following the New York Mets win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday, manager Luis Rojas indicated that once Francisco Lindor (oblique) returns from the injured list within the next few days, Jeff McNeil will see more time in left field. Rojas told reporters that the preference is to play Javier Baez at second base, J.D. Davis at third base, Lindor at shortstop, and McNeil in left field. This would leave first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith as the odd man out, or potentially put Smith in a timeshare with McNeil. Both Smith and McNeil have had poor campaigns in 2021, with Smith dealing with right wrist soreness for a good portion of the season. Smith has slashed just .243/.302/.363 with 11 home runs, 52 RBI, 39 runs, and two stolen bases in 118 games. Of late, Smith has been particularly ineffective slashing a putrid .040/.074/.040 over his past seven games (25 at-bats) with just one RBI. As it is, Smith can be dropped in shallow formats. Should he lose playing time to McNeil, fantasy managers can likely move on from Smith in deeper formats as well.

New York Mets first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith has been dealing with right wrist soreness for a good portion of the season, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Smith has yet to go on the injured list this season, but his wrist might explain part of his struggles thus far. After two productive seasons at the plate, he's slashed just .247/.307/.369 with 11 HRs, 52 RBI, 39 runs, and two stolen bases in 117 games. Coming into the year, he was a valuable fantasy option but should be benched for a better hitter, and can be dropped in shallow leagues.