The 31-year-old hurler is still in the process of recovery from his Tommy John surgery and isn’t expected to be an option to join the Mets’ bullpen until the middle of the summer. The move will free up a spot on the club’s 40-man roster for the time being.

Smith will get a one-year deal that includes a club option for 2026. The right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery in July, and he isn’t expected to be ready to return until the middle of the summer at the very earliest. Once healthy, he’ll be a mid-inning option for the New York bullpen.

Smith will miss the remainder of the season and is slated to become a free agent this upcoming offseason. The 30-year-old righty has been a central component of New York’s high-leverage mix for the past couple seasons. There’s definitely going to be some interest out there once he reaches free agency, but he might have to settle for more of a short-term deal to rebuild his value. The positive news here is that an internal brace procedure carries a shorter return timeline than a more invasive full Tommy John ligament replacement.

That’s a really tough break for a middle reliever/setup man who might have been in line for a multiyear deal as a free agent this winter. Smith had a 3.06 ERA in 17 2/3 innings for the Mets this season.