Carson Smith to undergo Tommy John surgery

The Boston Red Sox will be without one of their most talented relievers for the remainder of 2016, as the club announced right-hander Carson Smith will undergo Tommy John surgery.

Smith, 26, will have his right ulnar collateral ligament repaired Tuesday at the Hospital for Special Surgery by Dr. David Altchek, who also performed Tommy John surgery on Mets pitchers Steven Matz and Zack Wheeler.

"We're gonna miss him, there's no doubt," Red Sox manager John Farrell told MLB Network Radio on Tuesday. "We acquired him to go up against some of the top right-handed lineups."

Acquired from the Seattle Mariners last offseason, Smith battled elbow issues since spring training, suffering a flexor tendon strain in late March that sidelined him until May before returning to the disabled list with renewed elbow trouble last week after just three appearances.

In his three outings for the Red Sox, which were heavily spaced out, Smith didn't allow a run on a pair of hits and one walk.

Last year, Smith dazzled as a rookie in Seattle, crafting a 2.31 ERA with a 32.4 percent strikeout rate over 70 appearances, even notching 13 saves in 18 chances during a nine-week stint as the Mariners' closer.