NEW YORK – Braves rookie Mallex Smith will be sidelined indefinitely with a broken left thumb after being hit by a pitch in Sunday’s 6-0 win against the Mets at Citi Field.
It won’t be known how long Smith, the team leader in stolen bases and batting average with runners in scoring position, is expected to be out until he’s examined by Braves hand specialist Gary Lourie on Monday in Atlanta.
“He’ll be reevaluated,” Braves interim manager Brian Snitker said. “Send him to see our doctors in Atlanta (to determine) what’s going to come next, but (X-rays) did show a fracture. I guess he’ll see Dr. Lourie tomorrow and probably have some idea after that.”
Smith seemed in good spirits despite having his hand in a splint and his arm in a sling in the Braves clubhouse after Sunday’s sweep-completing win. Fellow rookie Tyrell Jenkins tied his tie for him before Smith was interviewed.
“Things happen,” Smith said. “I’m not disappointed; we just swept the Mets, so, oh well. Things happen. Got a little messed up, but I’ll just go rehab and come back stronger.”
Smith was struck in the hand by a 91-mph fastball from left-hander Antonio Bastardo with a runner at third and one out in the seventh inning. He stayed in the game for the next three batters until the end of the inning, but was replaced before the Braves went out to play defense in the bottom of the inning.
“Oh, he caught me good,” Smith said. “It squared me up. My thumb was in-between the bat and the ball, so it hurt a good amount. I was just trying to move it around on the bases, but pretty instantly it hurt.”
The football player in him – Smith was a high school football star – led him to try to stay in the game, but Smith knew as he tried to loosen up his thumb while he was on the bases that it was injured severely.
“It’s just my thumb, I feel like if nothing happened to my legs I should be able to play,” he said, smiling at the difference between requirements for football and baseball, the latter requiring healthy hands and fingers. “Baseball is a little bit unique in its dynamic.”
The Smith injury put a damper on what was otherwise a sensational weekend for the Braves, who extended their winning streak to a season-high five games with the sweep of the National League’s defending champions.
Smith has hit .237 with 14 stolen bases – no other Brave has more than five – and a .312 OBP, but that doesn’t reflect his overall performance in his first season, especially in recent weeks while being a lineup regular in left field against right-handed pitchers and some lefties.
He had moved back up in the batting order to second and occasionally leadoff, and he’s been the Braves’ backup center fielder behind Ender Inciarte.
Smith has a .349 average with runners in scoring position and also leads the Braves with a .298 average against right-handers. He was 37-for-124 vs. righties and 3-for-45 (.067) against lefties.
“He’s been playing really good,” Snitker said. “I really liked him, where he’s at in the lineup. That’s part of it. Those things happen. I hate it for him; the kid likes to play, he’s progressing and doing well. It’s kind of a freak thing, but it happens all the time. He’ll be alright. He’ll heal and get back and be fine.”
The Braves are off Monday and will decide on a roster move then to fill Smith’s spot before Tuesday’s series opener against the Marlins in Miami.
