Dbacks Pavin Smith Suffers Wrist Injury

According to Arizona Diamondbacks Farm Director Josh Barfield, Pavin Smith suffered a nondisplaced fracture in his right wrist over the weekend while playing for the Reno Aces. Barfield reported this heartbreaking in an interview with the Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro.

Pavin Smith broke his Wrist, out for a long time for Diamondbacks

You may be asking, when did Smith get sent down to Reno? The Diamondbacks made that decision this past Saturday, for the first time in his career. Outfielder Cooper Hummel was recalled in the corresponding move. He suffered the injury diving for a ball and is expected to be sidelined for 6 to 8 weeks according to Barfield. The current plan is to immobilize the injured wrist, which also incurred some ligament damage, for the next 6 weeks. The Diamondbacks are hoping he will be able to avoid surgery and return to the playing field at some point later in the season. But the team will make a final decision on the exact plan after he undergoes a CT scan.

I try my best to be objective when I write for Venom Strikes, but some of my very personal feelings and criticisms are about to get in the way. I love Pavin Smith, I would go as far as saying he is my current favorite Diamondback player. I am very upset at the way the Diamondbacks have treated Pavin Smith this season. First, let's look at last season. In 545 plate appearances, he had a slash line of .267/.328/.404 with 11 home runs, 27 doubles, 133 hits, and 201 total bases. He is my kind of hitter, typically known as a "gap to gap" hitter. 2021 was when it started. The Diamondbacks started playing Pavin in the outfield, he played 22 games in left field, 39 games in center field, 53 games in right, and 54 games at first base, his natural position. This season, I really thought the Designated Hitter was going to help Pavin Smith. I thought the Diamondbacks would put Smith at first base and have Walker split time with Seth Beer at DH and play the occasional first base. That has not been the case, as Walker has played 80 games at first base to Pavin's 9. I feel like they have chosen the 31-year-old Walker over the 25-year-old Smith, but as much as it upsets me, it makes me love Pavin Smith even more.

I Have Even More Respect For Him

In this athletic age of "Look at me, and that is unfair to me" that a high percentage of athletes seem to have, Pavin Smith has put his head down, done his best, and not said a negative word about the organization who drafted him with the 7th overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft. In right field, he has only committed 2 errors in 83 chances. Offensively Pavin's 2022 story has been much different, in fact, it has been a struggle posting a slash line of .207/.291/.362. Since May 6th he has only hit .171. But I also believe that if he was placed at his normal, more comfortable position at first base, his hitting would improve. First, he was placed in a new position, then his playing time was diminished when Carson Kelly returned, and Varsho took the majority of starts in right field. Pavin has only played in 65 of the 80 games he was on the big-league club for. Then, he got demoted to AAA Reno, and through it all, he has not said a word. Not to the team, not to a reporter, not through his agent, not through social media, not a word. Now I have even more respect for him. But the question is, will the Diamondbacks show him respect?

Will The Diamondbacks Show Him Respect?

The Diamondbacks have an interesting decision to make. Pavin suffered the injury in AAA, and because of that, he is currently on the minor league injured list. If the Dbacks leave him on the minor league IL, they don't have to give him major league money nor will he receive big-league service time. The snakes could decide to recall him, pay him major league money and grant him major league service time and place him on the 60-day IL. But, if the Diamondbacks do this, that will clear a 40-man roster spot and they could then bring up another player.