Former Wright State pitcher joins exclusive group with 800th big-league appearance

“I think I got some time left,” Smith told reporters Saturday, “so hopefully we can we keep climbing that list. I just enjoy playing the game. I’m thankful that I’m still doing it. As a kid, having shoulder surgery when I was 16 years old and walking on at Wright State and getting cut my freshman year and coming back out 800 appearances later in the big leagues it’s something I’m very proud of.”

Smith, 37, moved into a tie with Francisco Cordero for 50th-most appearances in big-league history. Next on the list is Hall of Famer Walter Johnson (802).

Smith leads all active pitchers in appearances. Only three other active pitchers have more than 700: Tyler Clippard (777), , of the Arizona Diamondbacks; Sergio Romo (750), of the Oakland Athletics; and Joakim Soria (741), of the Diamondbacks.

“I love playing the game,” Smith said, " and the only way to do that as a reliever is to be ready to go every day. That’s the only thing I was told when I was a rookie: ‘Just come in here, get ready to play and make it through today and we’ll worry about tomorrow.’ I’ve enjoyed it over my career being one of the guys coming out of the bullpen and being consistent at it, being able to do it for for a long time.”

Smith pitched at Wright State from 2004-06. He was 3-0 during the regular season with 13 saves and an 0.75 ERA in 2006 when he was named Horizon League Pitcher of the Year. The New York Mets drafted him in the third round that June.

Smith moved quickly through the Mets system, making his big-league debut on April 1, 2007, less than a year after being drafted. He became the third alum of the Wright State baseball program to appear in the big leagues, following Keith Gordon and Brian Anderson.

Smith didn’t give up a run until his 18th appearance and posted a 3.45 ERA as a rookie. His career ERA stands at 3.03. He has pitched for the Mets (2007-08), Cleveland Indians (2009-13), Los Angeles Angels (2014-16), Chicago Cubs (2016), Toronto Blue Jays (2017), the Indians again (2017) and the Houston Astros (2018-21).

Smith opted out of the 2020 season so he could spend more time with his mother Lee, who was battling Huntington’s disease. She died on Aug. 6 at 61.

“I think it was the right decision for that time, and I still think it was the right decision,” Smith told MLB.com in February. “But it was tough, man, you know, watching everybody out there. Obviously, when they rolled into the postseason and seeing that, you want nothing but to be out there, but I think just given where we were at — and when I say ‘we,’ I mean our family at that time — and everything that was going on, it was the right thing to do. Obviously, I wish I could have played.”

This season, Smith gave up multiple runs in three of his first seven outings, and his ERA stood at 14.54 in mid-April. He has whittled it down to 5.93 by posting a 1.50 ERA so far in May. He’s amazed by his longevity and how his thought process has changed over the years.

“It’s a non-stop learning process,” Smith said. “It’s not only (about) how to pitch a guy but how to have your body survive and get through the daily grind of the season and being ready to go. It’s been a lot of fun along the way, and hopefully there’s more to come.”