Happy Wednesday, Athletics Nation!
Kevin Smith has been rehabilitating his hitting approach in AAA, and his hard work seems to be coming to fruition. Matt Kawahara at the San Francisco Chronicle caught up with the 26-year-old infielder who came over from Toronto in the Matt Chapman trade.
Smith was the A’s third baseman on Opening Day 2022. Chapman’s shoes are nearly impossible to fill at the hot corner, but Smith showed promise at the position. Unfortunately, his bat couldn’t keep pace with his defense, and he was demoted to AAA in June after 151 plate appearances that ended in a 1-for-37 slump.