One player in serious need of a change of scenery at the MLB Trade Deadline is New York Mets first baseman Dominic Smith, who has really struggled to find his footing this season. However, he's now facing an unfortunate setback that could possibly hurt a move in the coming weeks.

Per Tim Healey, Smith has been placed on the IL:

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This is brutal timing for Dominic Smith and particularly, the Mets. It's not uncommon for a player to be moved when on the 10 or 15-day IL, but for New York, they were already going to sell low on Smith. With him now injured, it's unlikely they get much in return.

The former first-rounder was one of their best hitters in 2019 and 2020, but since then, he's hit just .233 in nearly 650 plate appearances and even played through a brutal shoulder injury last season. The Mets sent Smith down to Triple-A in May and he's actually hit a bit better since returning to the big league club, but still, not at the level we saw from him before.

In 58 games this season, Dominic Smith is batting .194 with zero homers and 17 RBI. He wouldn't be a bad pickup for a number of teams looking for a left-handed bat because, in the past, he's swung it well. The Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs are reportedly two organizations keeping an eye on the 27-year-old. A fresh start elsewhere and consistent playing time could see Smith find his best again. At this point, it feels unlikely we see him in a Mets jersey past early August.