Dominic Smith DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the New York Yankees have signed first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith to a minor-league contract. Smith opened the 2024 season with the Boston Red Sox but was eventually shipped to Cincinnati. Across 93 major league games last summer, Smith held a .233/.313/.378 line with six home runs. In 21 games with Triple-A Durham, Smith posted a .263./337/.375 line. The former 11th-overall selection has been unable to get his major league career back on track since posting a strong .299/.366/.571 line across the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Fantasy managers should expect Smith to open the campaign with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre but would likely be given another opportunity in the majors as an injury replacement for Ben Rice or Paul Goldschmidt at first base.

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.