PITTSBURGH — The Reds signed veteran first baseman Dominic Smith on Thursday before their game against the Pirates.
Smith was in the starting lineup and batting seventh for the opener of a four-game series. He was released by the Red Sox on Tuesday after hitting .237 with six home runs in 83 games. The Sox no longer needed Smith when Triston Casas made his season debut.
Smith, 29, has a .247 career batting average with 64 homers in eight seasons with the Mets (2017-22), Nationals (2023), and Red Sox (2024). He was the Mets’ first-round draft pick in 2013. In 2020, he finished 13th in National League MVP voting after slashing .316/.377/.616 with 10 home runs and 42 RBIs in 50 games.
The Reds placed outfielder Jake Fraley on the 10-day injured list with a right knee sprain. They also designated righthander Brooks Kriske, who was pitching at Triple A Louisville, for assignment.