Burch

Smith

It clears room on the 40-man roster for Ben Malgeri. Smith has been on the injured list since the end of May, and won’t be eligible to return now until after the All-Star break.

As anticipated, the 36-year-old hurler winds up on the injured list due to inflammation in his pitching shoulder. No word yet on the results of his MRI or how long he may be sidelined for. Brenan Hanifee was recalled from Triple-A Toledo to take his place in the Tigers’ bullpen.

Smith is getting some additional testing done on Friday. If he’s forced to head to the injured list, Brenan Hanifee would be recalled from Triple-A Toledo to take his spot in the Tigers’ bullpen. Stay tuned.

Smith gets his shot with the Tigers after spending a couple weeks on the doorstep of the majors. The 36-year-old journeyman righty was in Detroit’s camp as a non-roster invitee this spring. He’s posted a pedestrian 5.79 ERA across 247 1/3 innings in the big leagues since 2013.

The 35-year-old reliever spent 2025 with the Pirates, posting a 7.08 ERA in 20 1/3 innings at Triple-A Indianapolis. He has a 5.79 career ERA in 247 1/3 MLB innings.

No real surprises here as the Pirates announced earlier on Monday that Carmen Mlodzinski would break camp as the club’s fifth starter over Harrington. The 23-year-old top pitching prospect figures to break into the majors at some point later this year.

The Pirates will now be Smith’s eighth MLB team in a career that also included a year playing professionally in Korea. In 2024, Smith pitched in 50 games between the Marlins and Orioles’ organizations, posting a 4.95 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 46/12 K/BB ratio in 56 1/3 innings. He had a poor 19 percent strikeout rate but he possesses elite command with a five-percent walk rate. He has a decent shot to earn a spot in the Pirates’ bullpen.

The 34-year-old pitched in 50 games between the Marlins and Orioles’ organizations in 2024, posting a 4.95 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, and 46/12 K/BB ratio in 56 1/3 innings. He has a career 5.79 ERA and was in the Korean Baseball Organization in 2023 so he may have to settle for a minor league deal and win a job in spring training.

Smith’s regular season is over, and it remains to be seen whether the 34-year-old can help the Baltimore postseason in the playoffs. The right-hander will hit the shelf with Danny Coulombe activated off the IL in a corresponding move.

The Orioles signed Smith to a minor league contract on June 28th, and he pitched just two scoreless innings in Triple-A, striking out two before the Orioles decided to bring him up. The 34-year-old appeared in 25 games out of the Marlins’ bullpen earlier this season, posting a 4.25 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, and a 23/9 K/BB ratio over 29 2/3 innings. Dillon Tate was sent down to make room.