Smith is expected to open the season in the Marlins' rotation after the team informed Dan Straily on Monday that he would be designated for assignment, Craig Mish of Sirius XM reports.

EDGE Analysis

Smith hasn't experienced any setbacks this spring with his surgically repaired shoulder, but because he missed the final three months of the past season and was behind his fellow rotation candidates entering camp, there was some thought the Marlins might stash him on the injured list to begin 2019. Smith's excellence over his three Grapefruit League outings (4.05 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 19:1 K:BB in 13.1 innings) evidently convinced the Marlins he didn't need any additional time to build up his arm, so he'll step in right away as one of the key members of an inexperienced rotation. Despite Smith's poor team context an limited sample of MLB action, the skills he's shown this spring and in 2018 make him a worthy late-round dice roll in fantasy drafts.