Will Smith was among the Los Angeles Dodgers who were late to play in a Cactus League game this year because of injury, as manager Dave Roberts revealed early into Spring Training that he was slowed by an ankle issue.
Smith nevertheless continued to catch bullpen sessions and participated in live batting practice before getting into the Dodgers lineup last week.
Details of Smith’s left ankle injury have been revealed to be a deep bone bruise he suffered against the New York Yankees last June.
The 2024 season was a down one for Smith offensively, with career lows across the board in terms of batting average (.248), on-base percentage (.327), slugging percentage (.433) and wRC+ (111). But just as Roberts predicted, Smith has not used the injury as an excuse for his sub-standard.
Smith further explained his running ability was the only thing impacted by the bone bruise on his ankle, and attributed struggles at the plate to mechanics, according to Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic:
“Maybe I could’ve compensated,” Smith said. “I don’t know. But running was the only thing it really affected. … There are definitely some mechanical things I was doing last year that I need to clean up.”
While Smith’s running ability has slightly declined since his rookie season, his average sprint speed in 2024 was actually a small improvement over his 2023 mark.
Regardless, Smith is not the only Dodgers player who will be playing through discomfort this season. Freddie Freeman does not anticipate his right ankle feeling 100% until at least the All-Star break, as he deals with the lingering effects of offseason surgery.
The Dodgers do have options at their disposal on the 40-man roster in case Smith needs to go on the injured list, with longtime veteran Austin Barnes capable of taking over from his backup role.
Hunter Feduccia, a Dodgers’ 2018 draft selection, is enjoying a nice Spring Training, is another option. Top Dodgers prospect Dalton Rushing rounds out the organization’s impressive depth at catcher who could make an impact at the Major League level this year.
Will Smith searching for answers
It was to be expected that Smith’s bone bruise would not heal during the season as rest was not a luxury he or the Dodgers had. However, given there was not much improvement with the recovery during the offseason, it’s left Smith at a loss and searching for answers as to why the injury hasn’t healed yet.
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