Injuries have rippled through the LSU baseball roster all season long, but the Tigers could be getting one of their heavy hitters back soon.
LSU sophomore shortstop Josh Smith went down after the Notre Dame series when it was discovered he had a stress reaction in his back that would require four to six weeks of rest followed by rehab.
Smith felt pain in his back before the Notre Dame series, but gutted it out and hit a game-winning home run in game one of the series against the Irish. The sophomore shortstop never thought it would be as serious as the diagnosis would later show.
“I thought it was a little muscle thing at first,” Smith said. “I went and got the X-ray and it was what we didn’t want it to be so it definitely wasn’t a good sign.”
It has now been six weeks, but Smith has already begun the rehab process for his injury. Smith has been fielding simulated ground balls and taking dry hacks with the bat while gradually doing some rotational drills with the back injury.
Smith said he felt well enough to begin rehab about a week ago ,and put together a plan with associate athletic director Cory Couture. While resting his back, Smith was limited to light hamstring and hip stretching.
“It was really just about resting it up,” Smith said. “Not really overdoing it.”
Smith is still in a wait-and-see mode of a potential return, but LSU coach Paul Mainieri said the Tennessee series in two weeks isn’t off the table at this point.
“We’re moving in the right direction,” Mainieri said. “Starting to gradually do some some baseball activities. He will not play this week but the target now moves to next week.”
While observing from the bench, Smith has had the opportunity to watch the team grow through three weeks into Southeastern Conference play. The pitching rotation has stuck out after being tested the first few outings of the season.
“Our pitchers were getting questioned early,” Smith said. “Then those guys came out and you’ve seen what they’ve done. Ma’Khail [Hilliard] has been outstanding and the hitters are really coming around.”
Freshman shortstop Hal Hughes has been standing in for Smith since his injury. Hughes is currently batting .233 with 13 RBI, but Smith said maturing as a hitter in the SEC is just something that comes with being a freshman.
“He’s still adjusting to SEC pitching,” Smith said. “But he’s playing shortstop better than most people have in the country, so that’s good to see.”
Hughes said Smith is a great resource to utilize as he adjusts to SEC baseball as a freshman and is eager for his teammate to get back on the field.
“Josh has been working real hard in his rehab,” Hughes said. “He’s been helping me out a lot telling me to believe in myself, especially when I’m experiencing some failures, he tells me to stay confident so it’s great having him around.”