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LAD • Catcher • #16
about 6 hours ago
It’s a standard day off for a catcher with a day game after a night game. Dalton Rushing will start at catcher and bat sixth. After a homer barrage to start the season, Rushing has gone 3-for-21 with three runs and three RBI over his last six games.
Source: Los Angeles Dodgers
LAD • Catcher • #16
2 days ago
Smith is back handling the catching duties and hitting third on Monday night at Dodger Stadium following a two-game absence due to back tightness. The 31-year-old backstop is off to a nice start at the dish this season, slashing .266/.337/.392 with three homers and 14 RBI across 24 games. Dalton Rushing retreats to the bench after starting three of the last four contests behind the plate.
Source: MLB.com
LAD • Catcher • #16
3 days ago
The Dodgers had been hopeful that Smith would be able to return on Sunday, so this is at least mildly concerning. Dalton Rushing will once again start in his place behind the plate and will bat seventh against Cubs’ southpaw Shota Imanaga.
Source: Sonja Chen
LAD • Catcher • #16
4 days ago
Smith will get a breather while dealing with manager Dave Roberts saying that the backstop is “feeling a little tight.” The good news is that it appears this is just precautionary, and Roberts expects Smith to catch tomorrow. Dalton Rushing will try and keep hitting nothing but homers and hit sixth in Smith’s absence.
Source: David Vassegh
LAD • Catcher • #16
6 days ago
Dalton Rushing has now started two of the last three games at catcher, and Smith has missed three of the last six games as Rushing tears the cover off the ball. It’s not ideal for either’s mixed league value, but it looks like Rushing has been given a little more of a foothold than he’d had earlier in April as the Dodgers try to get him involved.
LAD • Catcher • #16
11 days ago
Smith will get a breather after going 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI in the win over the Rockies on Friday. The 31-year-old rests with Dalton Rushing handling catching duties and hitting seventh.
Source: Kirsten Watson
LAD • Catcher • #16
12 days ago
Smith got the scoring started in the ballgame with a sacrifice fly that plated Shohei Ohtani in the opening inning. He then added on with an RBI single in the fourth that extended their advantage to 5-0. With his two-hit attack, the 31-year-old backstop is slashing a healthy .300/.377/.417 with two homers and 10 RBI in his first 69 plate appearances on the season.
LAD • Catcher • #16
21 days ago
Smith raised his OBP from .278 to .341 today. He hasn’t gotten hot yet, but batting between third and fifth for the Dodgers, he has six runs scored and eight RBI while starting nine of 12 games.
LAD • Catcher • #16
23 days ago
It’s notable since Smith is out of Los Angeles’ lineup for a second consecutive contest with Dalton Rushing behind the dish. It’s possible this is merely an early-season load management decision, but he could be dealing with a minor physical issue. It’s a situation fantasy managers should monitor closely in the coming days.
Source: MLB.com
LAD • Catcher • #16
about 1 month ago
Well, that’s one way to celebrate your 31st birthday. With the Dodgers trailing 2-1, Smith smoked a two-run homer that had an expected batting average of .900 to give Los Angeles a 3-2 lead and ultimately the victory. It’s the second homer of the season for Smith, and he should again be one of the best fantasy backstops in baseball. It wouldn’t be a massive upset if he ended up in the top spot.
LAD • Catcher • #16
about 1 month ago
The hard-hitting backstop plated a run with an infield single in the fifth inning that increased the Dodgers’ lead to 4-2. He then clobbered a 418-foot (104.8 mph EV) two-run shot off of Taylor Clarke in the seventh that made it an 8-2 ballgame. Smith remains one of the most solid and consistent performers at the catcher position.
LAD • Catcher • #16
about 1 month ago
Roberts has decided to flip Smith and Freddie Freeman against southpaws, likely to prevent having three lefty bats in the top four of the order, now that offseason addition Kyle Tucker is in the mix. It’s a small change for the Dodgers but one that fantasy managers should monitor to see whether it sticks. It would likely result in a few additional run-producing opportunities for Smith.
Source: Jack Harris
LAD • Catcher • #16
6 months ago
It looked as though the Dodgers would go quietly in the 11th inning after Miguel Rojas grounded out to third base and Shohei Ohtani bounced out to second. That’s when the 30-year-old backstop gave the Dodgers their first lead of the night, clobbering a 2-0 slider from Shane Bieber for a 366-foot (104.6 mph EV) solo shot that will be remembered forever in Los Angeles. Smith finished the night 2-for-6 with a pair of runs scored and concludes the postseason slashing .276/.364/.414 with a pair of homers and eight RBI.
LAD • Catcher • #16
6 months ago
It looked as though the Dodgers would go quietly in the 11th inning after Miguel Rojas grounded out to third base and Shohei Ohtani bounced out to second. That’s when the 30-year-old backstop gave the Dodgers their first lead of the night, clobbering a 2-0 slider from Shane Bieber for a 366-foot (104.6 mph EV) solo shot that will be remembered forever in Los Angeles. Smith finished the night 2-for-6 with a pair of runs scored and concludes the postseason slashing .276/.364/.414 with a pair of homers and eight RBI.
LAD • Catcher • #16
6 months ago
Smith opened the scoring in the top half of the first inning with a two-out RBI single off of Kevin Gausman that plated Freddie Freeman from second base. Gausman then retired the next 17 hitters in order until Smith tagged him for a 404-foot (107.5 mph EV) solo shot in the seventh inning, giving the Dodgers a 2-1 advantage. Smith also plated a run with a fielder’s choice in the eighth inning that increased the Dodgers’ edge to 5-1. The 30-year-old backstop is having an outstanding postseason, hitting .314/.400/.400 with a homer and six RBI in 35 plate appearances.
LAD • Catcher • #16
6 months ago
With the win, the Fall Classic heads back to Los Angeles tied at one apiece. Smith opened the scoring in the top half of the first inning with a two-out RBI single against Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman that plated Freddie Freeman from second base. Gausman then retired the next 17 hitters in order until Smith tagged him for a 404-foot solo shot in the seventh inning, giving the Dodgers a 2-1 advantage at the time. Smith also plated a run with a fielder’s choice in the eighth inning that increased the Dodgers’ edge to 5-1. The 30-year-old backstop is having an outstanding postseason, hitting .314/.400/.400 with a homer and six RBI in 35 plate appearances.
LAD • Catcher • #16
7 months ago
The Dodgers are using the same starting nine for the third straight game, but the order is a little different against the lefty opener in Aaron Ashby. The starting nine: Shohei Ohtani (DH), Mookie Betts (SS), Will Smith (C), Freddie Freeman (1B), Tommy Edman (2B), Teoscar Hernández (RF), Max Muncy (3B), Enrique Hernández (LF) and Andy Pages (CF).
LAD • Catcher • #16
7 months ago
Smith will get the nod to start at catcher for the first time in the postseason after appearing off the bench in Game 1 and 2 against the Phillies. Ben Rortvedt will retreat to the bench with Smith handling backstop duties. The full lineup: Shohei Ohtani DH, Mookie Betts SS, Teoscar Hernández RF, Freddie Freeman 1B, Smith C, Enrique Hernández LF, Max Muncy 3B, Andy Pages CF and Tommy Edman 2B.
Source: MLB.com
LAD • Catcher • #16
7 months ago
With the victory, Los Angeles takes a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series, which now shifts to Dodger Stadium for Game 3. Smith delivered the key blow in the Dodgers’ four-run seventh inning, lining a two-run single to left-center off Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering with two outs in the frame. The veteran backstop entered as a pinch-hitter in the sixth after Ben Rortvedt started behind the plate, as the Dodgers continue to monitor his workload following an extended absence due to a right hand fracture.
LAD • Catcher • #16
7 months ago
In his first action since suffering a fractured hand last month, Smith played about half of Game 1 on Saturday, going 0-for-2 with a HBP after pinch-hitting for Ben Rortvedt. We assume he’s again available tonight, but it’s Rortvedt in the starting lineup.
LAD • Catcher • #16
7 months ago
Smith told reporters he’s available off the bench to pinch-hit and catch but Los Angeles is clearly going to limit his workload for the moment as he returns to game action for the first time since early September due to a hairline fracture in his right hand. Here’s the full lineup that will face Phillies lefty ace Cristopher Sánchez on Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park: Shohei Ohtani (DH/P), Mookie Betts (SS), Teoscar Hernández (RF), Freddie Freeman (1B), Tommy Edman (2B), Enrique Hernández (3B), Alex Call (LF), Andy Pages (CF) and Ben Rortvedt (C).
Source: MLB.com
LAD • Catcher • #16
7 months ago
Roberts was non-committal though when asked if Smith would be in the team’s starting lineup for Game 1 on Saturday. Either way, it sounds like the hard-hitting backstop is very close to a return and should be back in the Dodgers’ lineup any day now. The 30-year-old has been shelved since early September due to a hairline fracture in his right hand.
Source: David Vassegh
LAD • Catcher • #16
7 months ago
Roberts was non-committal though when asked if Smith would be in the team’s starting lineup for Game 1 on Saturday. Either way, it sounds like the hard-hitting backstop is very close to a return and should be back in the Dodgers lineup any day now. The 30-year-old has been shelved since early September due to a hairline fracture in his right hand.
Source: David Vassegh
LAD • Catcher • #16
7 months ago
Enrique Hernández is in the lineup after exiting Tuesday’s Game 1 showdown with a minor back issue. There was some speculation that Smith could be an option to return behind the plate at some point in this series but the Dodgers will continue to roll with defensive specialist Ben Rortvedt handling the catching duties. The 30-year-old backstop hasn’t appeared in a game since September 9 while recovering from a hairline fracture in his throwing hand. Here’s the full lineup: Shohei Ohtani (DH), Mookie Betts (SS), Freddie Freeman (1B), Teoscar Hernández (RF), Max Muncy (3B), Andy Pages (CF), Hernández (LF), Miguel Rojas (2B) and Rortvedt (C).
Source: MLB.com
LAD • Catcher • #16
7 months ago
Ben Rortvedt and Dalton Rushing will handle catching duties against the Reds, as Smith is still recovering from a fracture in his right hand. Smith presumably would be able to handle DH duties, but those are kind of tied up in L.A.
Source: The Athletic
LAD • Catcher • #16
7 months ago
Smith resumed swinging earlier this weekend, but he hasn’t faced live pitching in a couple weeks, which isn’t ideal heading into the playoffs. It sounds like Los Angeles is comfortable with Ben Rortedt handling the pitching staff at the outset of the postseason if Smith isn’t ready. He’s been on the shelf since mid-September recovering from a hairline fracture in his right hand.
Source: Sonja Chen
LAD • Catcher • #16
7 months ago
Roberts also said that Ben Rortvedt would be the team’s primary backstop in the event that Smith isn’t able to return. The 30-year-old slugger has been shelved since September 10 due to a hairline fracture in his right hand.
Source: Jack Harris
LAD • Catcher • #16
7 months ago
The latest development explains why Smith has taken longer than originally anticipated to return from what was initially diagnosed as a right-hand contusion. While he was optimistic overall, Roberts noted that Smith’s availability for the start of the postseason is still “up in the air.” It’ll be Ben Rortvedt handling the bulk of the catching duties while Smith is sidelined with top prospect Dalton Rushing in a reserve role.
Source: Fabian Ardaya
LAD • Catcher • #16
7 months ago
That’s why it has taken Smith longer than anticipated to return what had initially been classified as a right-hand contusion. While he was optimistic overall, Roberts noted that Smith’s availability for the start of the postseason is still “up in the air”.
Source: Fabian Ardaya