‘Healthy’ Dominic Smith Continues Hot Spring Start

Dominic Smith is starting his revenge tour early.

After suffering a down year production-wise in 2021, mainly due to a succession of injuries, Smith spent the prolonged offseason working on his swing and implementing measures to ensure he stays healthy in 2022. And it’s working.

Smith started his spring with two home runs off future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer in an intrasquad game on Wednesday. Then Smith hit another bomb in the Mets’ 6-2 win over the Washington Nationals in their spring training opener on Saturday. He followed that up with an RBI triple in his next at-bat.

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— New York Mets (@Mets) March 19, 2022

In what was a four-run first inning, Smith stepped up to the plate for the first time and hit an opposite-field solo shot, demonstrating that the extra work he’s been putting in on both his grip and swing is already paying off.

The slugger went 2-for-3 with two RBI against the Nationals, and, speaking to the media after the game, Smith revealed that he has been studying some of the game’s best in order to seek an extra edge heading into 2022.

“I watch a lot of Big Papi (David Ortiz), I watched a lot of Miguel Cabrera, I watched a lot of Mike Trout,” Smith said, “and obviously they’re all different hitters, they all have different set-ups, but it’s certain little things that they do and that’s why they are successful.

“It is just watching those hitters, how they move and adding what I do well and then trying to move similar to those guys.”

If studying some of the best to have ever done it helps Smith get back to being a productive hitter, then the Mets will be all for it. New manager Buck Showalter has certainly been impressed by how the first baseman and outfielder has approached spring training thus far.

“He’s always had a reputation as being a good hitter, and I think you’re seeing a healthy guy, and I think it’s just a reminder of what he can do when he’s healthy,” Showalter said. “You can tell he’s in a good frame of mind. He’s got a really good face working right now.”

Smith agreed, noting, “This is probably the best I’ve felt in any spring training I’ve ever been in.”

With the Phillies loading up offensively this offseason and the Braves defending the championship, the Mets are going to need their hitters to rake in 2022. The early signs of a Dom Smith Revenge Tour are looking good if the opening week of spring training is anything to go by.

Long may it continue.

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