The Los Angeles Dodgers are keen on winning their second-straight World Series title. The franchise had one of the most successful offseason after bringing in some of the best players in the league. The Boys in Blue has acquired international stars and retained old sluggers.
Will Smith has been dealing with an injury for close to 10 months. The catcher had an exceptional run to the World Series, but his injury might take a while to heal. Smith struggled with a bone bruise after sliding into second base against the Yankees. Since then, the Dodgers star has been battling the injury. Yet, he had not missed playing time.
“I just don’t think it’s something that’s gonna go away anytime soon. It just kind of is what it is. I think last year, there was a lot of pitches that he was missing. I do believe the foot was kind of impeding the swing. Don’t know if he’s been able to manage it. But I think right now, he’s in a really good spot,” Roberts said.
The Dodgers Will Have Their Backup Catcher On Standby Amid Smith’s Injury
While Roberts says Smith is in a good spot, it’s still good to be prepared. The team will have its backup catcher on standby amid Smith’s injury.
“It’s one of those things that he’s just going to have to deal with it. But I think right now he’s in a really good spot,” Roberts continued via SI.com .
Austin Barnes will be the next to step up if Will Smith requires time. The Dodgers also have Hunter Feduccia on their 40-man roster.
For now, Smith will continue to play, but it’s something to be concerned about, especially since it’s been bothering him. Dodgers fans hope that Smith will be fine and that the bruised bone will not get any worse. Rest is the only key for Smith to gradually become better. Meanwhile, Vladimir Guerrero Jr’s free agency drama with the Blue Jays continues.
Nagging Injury Slows Dodgers Lynchpin, Will it Impact His Offense?
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith hopes to lead his team to a second consecutive World Series crown.If there are any doubts regarding the importance of catcher Will Smith to the success of the Los Angeles Dodgers, just consider this:
In a clip from the February 28 spring training game against the Angels, Joe Davis, the play-by-play man for Dodgers broadcasts on Spectrum Sportsnet LA, said last year, Los Angeles posted a 76-44 record when Smith started the game, either at catcher or designated hitter. When he didn’t start, the Dodgers were just 22-20.
So it had to be a little disconcerting to read in the news and notes section of early spring training coverage that Smith would likely be held out of the first few spring games due to an ankle ailment that “nagged at him dating to last season.”
That concern likely grew larger with the latest report indicating that Smith has actually been dealing with an issue in his left ankle since June 8 of last season.
In a game at Yankee Stadium, Smith jammed his foot into second base while sliding hard to break up a double play. The slide worked, as Smith was the only out on the play, but it also left Smith with pain that he still feels.
“It’s a bone bruise that’s deep, clearly, and (nine) months hasn’t helped the pain go away,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “So it’s just one of those things that it is what it is and he’s just going to have to deal with it.”
Surgery was never an option, Roberts stressed, but with the shorter offseason that followed the Dodgers’ World Series championship run, there apparently wasn’t enough time for it to get right.
“You can do all sorts of treatment and everything,” Smith said, “but the only thing that really heals it is rest. … We’re looking more into why maybe it’s not going away. Sometimes it just takes a while.”
Dodgers Catcher Will Smith Vows to Stay in Lineup
GettyLos Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith says he will not miss any time despite a nagging injury to his left ankle.
Smith doesn’t have “a while” these days. He didn’t miss any time with the ankle injury last season, and he doesn’t expect that it will force him out of the lineup this year either.
“It wasn’t, like, horrible,” Smith said. “There were definitely different days. … I don’t think it affected anything. Something to manage really.”
However, there are questions as to whether or not the injury had an impact on his offensive numbers.
Last year, after signing a 10-year, $140-million contract extension just prior to the start of the season, Smith batted .291 with an .856 OPS and nine home runs in the 54 games before hurting the ankle. He hit .215 with a .687 OPS for the rest of the season, with just five home runs after the All-Star break.
“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.”
Despite Nagging Ankle Soreness, Will Smith Feels His Swing is ‘In a Good Spot’
As far as the Dodgers are concerned, Smith was hindered by the ankle pain.
“I think there’s been some nagging stuff that has crept up and led to some bad habits here and there,” Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said.
But with two weeks to go before Los Angeles opens the regular season against the Cubs March 18 and 19 in Tokyo, Smith said he feels confident that a few tweaks to his mechanics have given him “room for my hands to work.”
“There are definitely some mechanical things I was doing last year that I need to clean up,” Smith said. “So worked on them all offseason. Feels good. Swing feels like it’s in a good spot.”
Leave a Reply