Hot Stove Lunch: Carson Smith back with Red Sox on minor league deal

Well, who expected this?

Carson Smith will be back with the Red Sox in spring training, signed to a minor league deal with an invitation to big league camp.

That the Red Sox would be on the lookout for inexpensive bullpen help is not a surprise. That's been their M.O. for the offseason: stockpiling cheap options as they keep an eye on their ever-expanding payroll.

But the fact that Smith is back is something few saw coming.

Recall that, back in May, Smith injured his right shoulder by firing his glove in frustration in the dugout after being lifted from a poor outing. Days later, Smith intimated that his shoulder would have eventually given out anyway because he was being used too often.

Naturally, that criticism didn't endear himself to the organization in general and manager Alex Cora in particular. Cora was relatively tight-lipped about Smith's accusations -- he said he didn't agree with Smith's contention -- but his body language and attitude, naturally, hinted at displeasure.

"It caught me by surprise,” Cora said of Smith’s comment. “If he felt that way, he should have told it to us or he should have mentioned it.''

And when the Sox outrighted Smith after the season for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release, it appeared as though Smith's tenure with the Red Sox was officially over for good.

And yet, Smith will be in camp in February. It's unclear whether Smith will be ready for the start of the season after surgery last summer to repair the shoulder. But Smith mentioned on Twitter Sunday he recently began a throwing program, so his return may not take as long as expected.

Either way, it's possible that later in the season, he might be able to help. And virtually no one saw that as a possibility until Sunday.

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