Will Smith Injury Update: What Happened To Will Smith Dodgers?
It's late September, and the Dodgers are clawing for every edge they can get as the playoffs loom, so naturally, when Will Smith’s name popped up on the IL with a pesky bone bruise in his right hand, people got a little nervous. The injury bug, why does it always bite the steady guys, and usually at the worst possible time? Smith’s issue started on September 3, when a foul tip from the Pirates’ lineup smacked him on the hand. If you've ever caught a baseball or even tried to open a pickle jar with a sore wrist, you know how frustrating those little "bone bruises" can be. Turns out, it’s not just a matter of shaking it off and heading back to the lineup.
At first, there was hope. X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs all clean! So, the team kept Smith active, crossing their fingers that he’d power through. I kind of admire that optimism; it’s the same logic as bringing an umbrella “just in case” you don’t get rain. But just like those sudden LA showers, things changed quickly. Smith missed five games, then gave catching another try on Tuesday. Twenty minutes before first pitch the next night? The hand swelled up again. Smith, who’s as stubborn as a June California heatwave, was scratched from the lineup in another sudden tug-of-war between optimism and realism.
There’s a certain dread in seeing a player of Smith’s caliber sidelined. The numbers don’t lie: .296 average, 17 home runs, .901 OPS, and honestly, the kind of dependability that makes you wish your alarm clock worked half as well. As of now, he’s been officially put on the 10-day IL, retroactive to September 10. Chuckie Robinson was recalled to fill his spot, and Ben Rortvedt is catching most days, with rookie Dalton Rushing himself fighting off turf wars with his own shin contusion. A bit of a musical chairs situation, isn’t it? Manager Dave Roberts was candid, almost sheepish, admitting he wishes they’d benched Smith sooner to really let that hand heal.
Look, everyone gets a bone bruise at some point; it’s a rite of passage for athletes, like eating power bars or taping up knees. But this one’s being extra stubborn, lingering longer than hoped. Roberts says all the scans are negative, and the hope is that Smith just needs a breather; maybe a week off will settle things. Nah, no one on this team wants to compromise hitting mechanics, especially when the postseason looms like a beach sunset: beautiful, but you really don’t want to miss it.
For fans (and fantasy managers), it’s a little stressful not just for the missing stats but for what Smith brings behind the plate. The Dodgers, World Series hopefuls with Shohei Ohtani on one side and a lineup built like a Hollywood action sequel, are suddenly playing catch-up just to keep their rhythm. There’s a real possibility Smith will have to play through aches into October. You could call it the “price of contention” or just bad timing.
Smith’s return? Maybe next week, maybe not. Nobody’s setting a clock. The Dodgers are prioritizing October and the wild card race, rolling out the backup catchers for the stretch. And if you’re wondering whether Smith’s the type to sulk: not really, but he probably wishes bones healed as quickly as his swing resets in batting practice. Dodgers fans can only hope he returns with his bat hot because, honestly, that bruise shouldn’t get the last word.
