© Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
After missing all of last year to undergo Tommy John surgery, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reported on Tuesday that manager Bruce Bochy set relief pitcher Will Smith’s targeted return date for May 1.
Bochy said target date for Will Smith is May 1. Melancon is doing well, has no restrictions.
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) February 13, 2018
When they acquired Smith in a three-player trade with the Milwaukee Brewers in August 2016, the Giants saw him as a key part of their bullpen, specifically in middle-inning relief. With the Giants, Smith held a 2.95 ERA with 26 strikeouts in 18.1 innings.
However, after appearing in only 1.2 innings during last year’s Spring Training, Smith was shutdown with elbow inflammation in late-March and successfully underwent Tommy John surgery shortly after.
Before being traded to San Francisco, Smith initially reached the major leagues as a starting pitcher with the Kansas City Royals in 2012. The following year, Smith transitioned to the bullpen and ended up becoming a key reliever for the Brewers from 2014-2016, averaging 77 games in his two full seasons with Milwaukee.
If healthy, the Giants are hoping Smith will help turn around their bullpen woes this season. His recovery, along with Mark Melancon’s rebound and continued success from Sam Dyson, Cory Gearrin, and Hunter Strickland, are crucial to the Giants’ late-game success in 2018.
