Bad news for the Los Angeles Dodgers as one of their top players has been unable to recover from an injury during the crucial final stretch of the season, where his contribution would be invaluable. Will Smith‘s return may have to wait, with hopes of having him back for the playoffs.
Dave Roberts provides update on his star catcher
The Dodgers‘ manager addressed the situation surrounding Will Smith, expressing hope that the catcher can fully recover to avoid further setbacks.
Smith had returned to the lineup on Tuesday after six days out, going 1-for-4 with a double. However, his hand began to swell before Wednesday’s game, leading the Dodgers to rule him out of the contest.
“Obviously we’re off tomorrow. We’ll manage it tomorrow with the treatment and then on Friday we’ll make a decision on whether he plays,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Smith on Wednesday. “Not overly concerned but we’ve got to get that swelling under wraps.”
“We thought that he was going to be able to play tonight. But with the setback a little bit, we’ve got to make sure it doesn’t happen again. I’m not sure. I don’t want to say he’s not going to play Friday, but we’ve got to be pretty confident he can catch two out of three if he’s going to play on Friday.”
The Dodgers are in no rush to hasten Smith‘s return, as Ben Rortvedt has performed solidly behind the plate. Dalton Rushing was their primary backup, but in his first full game as a starter, he suffered a direct hit to the shin from a foul ball and was placed on the injured list. Since his call-up on September 4, Rortvedt has been batting .308 and has earned praise for his performance, even coming close to catching two no-hit, no-run games.
With Smith sidelined for longer, Rortvedt remains the only catcher available on the Dodgers‘ active roster. Chuckie Robinson was called up on September 6 to bolster the roster but was sent back to Triple-A Oklahoma City just two days later.
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