Will Smith was given the day off in the middle game of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ series against the Chicago Cubs, though his inclusion in the lineup likely wouldn’t have made much of a difference in a 16-0 blowout loss.
It was Smith’s third day off in nine games after he played in the Dodgers’ first eight contests of the season. Smith then was out of the Dodgers lineup again on Wednesday.
There is no need for concern, as Smith’s absences have been calculated to give him a breather from the physically demanding catcher position.
“I’m just more playing the long game,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think all catchers across the board, in the second half of the season, start to get weary and get tired. I just want to make sure we keep Will wanting for more and there’s a lot more left in the tank.
“And I just think right now, it’s good to pick my spots. He’ll get about the same number of at-bats he’s gotten the last few years.”
Smith has become one of the most dangerous offensive threats baseball has to offer among all catchers, which is tremendous value as it is not a position known for offensive prowess. He made significant strides at the plate in 2023 and 2024 but tapered off toward the end of the year each time, and that was especially true last season.
After batting .295 with a .869 on-base plus slugging percentage from March 20 to May 31, Smith finished with career-worst numbers in batting average (.248), on-base percentage (.327), slugging (.433) and wRC+ (111).
It is worth noting Smith was playing through a deep bone bruise for around half the season in 2024. He did not choose to use it as an excuse and instead chalked up a majority of his struggles to mechanical issues that needed to be addressed.
Roberts previously expressed a belief that Smith’s injury at least played a part in his struggles.
After hitting .362/.403/.543 in the first month of 2024, Smith is off to another hot start this season. Roberts believes health has been the biggest factor in Smith’s turnaround since the end of 2024, which is why the Dodgers will carefully monitor their catcher’s workload this season.
“Obviously, the grind of a season, I think, is taxing on a catcher. This year, he’s come in healthy,” Roberts said. “So most important, he’s healthy and he’s off to a good start. We’re going to keep managing his workload. I know he’d like to be in there every single day, but just keeping his legs fresh, keeping his mind sharp, keeping him healthy is really important.”
Will Smith’s hitting with runners in scoring position
Through his 16 games played thus far, Smith has particularly excelled at hitting well with runners in scoring position. He is batting a blistering .769/.750/1.077 with 11 RBI in 16 such plate appearances.
“He’s just really good with runners in scoring position. He controls the strike zone, he can hit to the big part of the field, he can hit with two strikes. With runners in scoring position, he’s one of our top few on this team,” Roberts said.
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