Red Sox sign Dominic Smith, place Yoshida on IL
The Boston Red Sox signed first baseman Dominic Smith to a major-league deal, they announced Wednesday.
Smith will make his Red Sox debut on Wednesday, playing first base and batting seventh against the San Francisco Giants. Designated hitter/outfielder Masataka Yoshida was placed on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left thumb to open Smith's spot on the active roster.
The Tampa Bay Rays released Smith from his contract earlier in the day, according to The Boston Globe's Pete Abraham.
The left-handed hitting Smith should give the Red Sox a platoon partner at first base with the recently acquired Garrett Cooper. Triston Casas is out of action with torn cartilage in his ribs.
The Rays signed Smith to a minor-league contract on March 30, but he didn't appear in a big-league game with them. The 28-year-old slashed .263/.337/.375 with two home runs and 11 RBIs in 21 games for Triple-A Durham.
Smith is a seven-year veteran who played last season with the Washington Nationals and spent 2017-2022 with the New York Mets.
His best campaign was the shortened 2020 season when he posted a .993 OPS with 42 RBIs in 50 games.
Yoshida, who was placed on the IL, sprained his thumb during Sunday's game against the Chicago Cubs. The 30-year-old had sat for a week before finally getting back into the lineup on Saturday, and rapped out five hits in seven at-bats before the injury.
Boston also designated reliever Vladimir Gutierrez for assignment to clear a 40-man roster spot for Smith.