No team expects to lose a key player at this stage of the season, especially with the MLB postseason approaching. This is exactly what has happened to the Los Angeles Dodgers, who now must push forward without one of their best players.
What happened to Will Smith?
Will Smith, the team’s catcher, will not be available for Dave Roberts, and this undoubtedly raises alarms. The player left the game the Dodgers were playing against the Pittsburgh Pirates, and information has been released stating that he suffered a contusion on his right hand.
Dalton Rushing stepped in to bat for Smith in the third inning at PNC Park and also took over at catcher after Smith was hit on the hand by a foul ball from Nick Gonzales in the bottom of the second inning.
Gonzales eventually struck out, and Smith remained on the field to finish the second inning behind the plate. However, after being evaluated by a trainer on the Dodgers‘ bench, he was removed from the game.
A contusion represents the best-case scenario for Smith, who had been clutch at the plate against the Pirates, going 3-for-5 in Tuesday‘s series opener. Before that, he was the hero of the Dodgers‘ previous game, hitting a walk-off home run in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.
So far this season, Smith maintains a solid .297 batting average, with 17 home runs and 61 RBIs. His two most recent performances showed clear improvement after a sluggish August (.147/.318/.250), capped by the decisive home run last Sunday.
However, his recent history reveals a tendency to decline in performance in the second half of the season. In 2022, his OPS dropped from .842 to .765 after the All-Star Game; in 2023, it fell from .889 to .701; and in the previous season, it went from .838 to .626.
Thanks to his recent offensive surge, the Dodgers are confident in keeping him in the lineup as long as he stays hot. However, everything will depend on the progression of his hand injury.
A notable detail is that, despite the demands of his position, Smith has only been placed on the injured list twice since his debut in 2019: in August 2020 for neck inflammation (10 days) and in August 2023, when he missed two weeks due to a concussion.
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