The age old saying is to not judge a book by it's cover, and that's exactly what Torey Lovullo has done with Pavin Smith.

Even with fans clamoring for him to be designated for assignment, Smith has been a mainstay in the Arizona Diamondbacks lineup since returning from injury.

Finally, on June 15, he proved himself against the Los Angeles Angels.

Smith went deep for the first time this season in a game that was decided by just one run. The Angels tried to rally late, but ultimately, they fell, 4-3.

Smith, 30, isn't exactly the type of player that should be given a million chances to prove himself. He's been in Arizona since 2020, but that doesn't excuse the fact he's had an extremely rough go of it here in 2026.

Now, things are looking up for the lefty. Smith hit a solo shot as part of a two-run seventh inning that helped catapult the Diamondbacks to a 37-35 record.

"I knew I had the distance, it was kind of curving, and then it straightened out, and I was praying to hit the foul pole, just so I didn't leave it into the umpire's hands, and it did, thankfully," Smith said in regard to his homer.

Injuries have held Smith back this past year, big time. Even though he's only played a handful of games, it's crazy to think this was his first home run since June 23, 2025.

"He knows it hasn't been really going his way lately," Diamondbacks starting pitcher Ryne Nelson, who started Monday night's game at Chase Field, said of Smith. "So, just to see a guy kind of break through like that, the smile he had on his face was pretty awesome. He's a great teammate, he's a great guy to have around, great clubhouse guy. So, he's one of those guys that you want to see things go well for."

Coming into this series opener, Smith was just 2-for-23 since being activated off the Injured List. Time and time again, Lovullo bailed him out with the phrase, "Pavin can hit," and finally, he proved his manager right.

"I just kind of stopped overanalyzing and looking at video and just tried to be a baseball player again, and just kind of feel it in the box," Smith said. "It's tough when you're thinking about like five different things in the box, so just trying to be a baseball player again."

Smith said he's been grinding in the cage, and it seems like all of that hard work has finally paid off. Now, it's a matter of whether or not he can do this consistently as the Diamondbacks continue to gain ground in the National League West Division.

Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news!

It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.

Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!