Carson Smith's odyssey back to the big leagues takes an unexpected turn in 18th

Carson Smith waited a long time to return to a major league mound.

That’s what happens when you undergo 16 months of rehab following Tommy John surgery. There were fits and starts, some setbacks along the way, and some shoulder issues earlier this year.

It was an arduous journey, with no guarantee that Smith would ever arrive back to the big leagues. So when he was called upon in the 18th inning of a marathon between the Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays, Smith wasn’t about to get picky.

He was back and being given the ball in a major league game. And that was all that mattered, even if this wasn’t exactly how he had drawn it up.

“Not exactly,’’ said Smith with a smile, after the Red Sox’ 3-2, 19-inning win at Fenway early Wednesday morning. “It was a long time coming. It’s been 16 months and I had to wait 18 innings to get in there, but I could have waited any (amount of time). I was ready.’’

Smith was the 11th of a club-record 12 pitchers, was activated only two hours before game time, and after being hit in the backside by a comebacker in final rehab appearance in the minors Sunday, the plan was to not pitch him Tuesday night.

But as inning after inning passed, the Red Sox options lessened and finally, the Sox had no choice but to get him up, and eventually, in.

The fact that the game was in the balance made it all the better. This was not a case of too much, too soon.

“I’ve been in close games before,’’ said Smith. “I haven’t forgotten how to pitch. I’m a competitive guy. I was excited to get back out there. We had already run through (nine) pitchers out of the bullpen, so I was excited for my name to be called.’’

Smith was part of a parade of relievers who kept the Blue Jays scoreless. After starter Eduardo Rodriguez allowed two runs in six innings, the Boston bullpen tossed 13 straight scoreless frames.

As if the rest of the circumstances of his return weren’t strange enough, after Smith threw his first pitch since May of 2016, Toronto third baseman Josh Donaldson became enraged over a called strike and got into a heated argument with home plate umpire Marvin Hudson and got himself ejected.

So, in the first at-bat against him in 16 months, Smith got to face two hitters in the same plate appearance as Miguel Montero took over for Donaldson. Smith got Montero to ground out to second for the first out.

“That’s never happened while I’ve been on the mound,’’ chuckled Smith. “So that was a first.’’

Smith then finished up the scoreless inning as the game dragged into the 19th.

Want more weirdness?

“The guy I faced in my (major league) debut, and it kind of felt like a debut again today, was Donaldson,’’ said Smith, recalling his first appearance in the big leagues, for Seattle against Oakland, then Donaldson’s team. “I’m pretty sure if you go back and watch the film, it was the exact same pitch (in 2014) and they called it a ball last time. So it was bittersweet to (have that happen).’’