BREAKING: Red sox confirms Another Top Star’s Departure

The Cincinnati Reds are signing a first baseman to a major league contract, according to ESPN on Thursday. This move comes after he was released by the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday, just four days after being designated for assignment. The former first-round draft pick became expendable when Boston reinstated first baseman Triston Casas from the 60-day injured list last week.

Smith’s addition is expected to help the Reds cope with the loss of versatile infielder Jeimer Candelario, who was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday due to a fractured left big toe. Candelario, 30, has made 53 starts at third base, 32 at designated hitter, and 26 at first base this season.

Smith, 29, batted .237 with six home runs, 34 RBIs, and a .706 OPS in 83 games for the Red Sox. He joined Boston on May 1 after opting out of a minor league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays, who had released him the day before.

Originally selected by the New York Mets as the 11th overall pick in the 2013 MLB Draft, Smith played for the Mets from 2017 to 2022, earning a 13th-place finish in the National League MVP voting in 2020 when he recorded career-best stats with a .316/.377/.616 slash line.

Throughout his career, spanning 683 games with the Mets, Washington Nationals (2023), and Red Sox, Smith has batted .247 with 64 home runs and 259 RBIs.