The Los Angeles Dodgers reinstated Will Smith from the seven-day concussion list and placed J.D. Martinez on the 10-day injured list due to lower back tightness. Martinez’s IL stint is retroactive to April 25.
Smith returns after missing the past 13 games with what he and the Dodgers initially believed to be a short-term issue. When Smith was not in the Dodgers lineup on April 14, manager Dave Roberts said it was due to an “illness” and he hoped the catcher would return the following day.
That was then pushed back to the finale of their homestand before Smith was ruled out for that as well and ultimately placed on the concussion IL on April 16.
When speaking with reporters the following day, Smith said his symptoms largely were mild and mainly only headaches. He was hopeful to return once eligible, but that never came to fruition.
Smith’s potential activation was pushed back to the Pittsburgh Pirates series before Roberts ruled out that possibility as well. The 28-year-old nevertheless continued to make steady progress and increased his level of activity throughout this week.
Smith was projected to return Saturday, but had that moved up due to Martinez dealing with ongoing back trouble. Smith cleared a final hurdle by participating in live batting practice on Friday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Martinez is on the IL after missing the past three games. The Dodgers hoped he only be out for the series opener at PNC Park, but Martinez remained unable to swing a bat.
Martinez is batting .250/.309/.512 with nine doubles, two triples, three home runs, 14 RBI and a 120 wRC+ in 92 plate appearances across 23 games this season.
Will Smith was cautious with concussion
Although Smith expected to be back on the Dodgers roster once he became eligible, there was also an understanding of needing to take appropriate steps and not rush a return.
“That’s my No. 1 priority, is to get back to 100%,” Smith said this month. “I don’t want to rush this. There’s plenty of things you can kind of play through and deal with, but head stuff and concussion stuff is not one anyone should mess with. I especially don’t want to mess with it.”
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