If the Diamondbacks were hoping left-hander Caleb Smith might wow rival teams in his final start before Friday’s non-waiver trade deadline, Sunday’s 5-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs likely qualified as a disappointment.
Smith worked relatively deep into the game, giving the Diamondbacks six innings. He mostly kept Cubs hitters off balance, striking out eight and giving up just three hits. But each of those hits landed in the bleachers at Wrigley Field, and two of the three were preceded by walks.
So instead of an especially good performance that might convince a club to make a push to acquire Smith, teams instead were treated to an outing that sort of showcased what, so far, has been the essence of his career: He can miss bats.