What happened: Smith's opening stretch spans 10 career appearances. He retired all nine batters in a three-inning relief stint earlier this month.
Why it matters: Command remains a point to monitor: he has allowed twice as many walks as hits.
By the numbers: Through those appearances: 23 strikeouts, 10 walks and five hits allowed, yielding 12.9 strikeouts and 5.6 walks per nine innings. [MLB Statcast](https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/hagen-smith-696146?season=2026)
What to watch: Watch whether Smith reduces the free passes while sustaining his strikeout rate.