PITTSBURGH – The Dodgers placed catcher Will Smith on the 10-day injured list due to a neck issue after he missed four consecutive games, but he anticipates returning when eligible next weekend.
Smith has been diagnosed with an inflamed disc in his neck. He plans to keep hitting and pitching in the coming days and is set to be activated when the Dodgers take on the Baltimore Orioles on June 19. His injured list stint is retroactive to Monday.
“It’s been a long few days,” Smith shared. While on a recent road trip in Arizona, he woke up one day with significant neck pain. “I played a few days, both at home and on the road, but by the third or fourth day, it was clear I wasn’t well enough to continue. I thought it would improve quickly, but I guess it needs a bit more time.” He added that he’s feeling better now, just not fully recovered.
The pain is strongest on the right side of his neck and worsens during certain actions. “When your neck is stiff, it’s tough to see the pitch,” he explained. “I hit a double the first day, which felt good, but then, unfortunately, I found myself in a position where I couldn’t help the team win.”
Before this injury, Smith was not quite performing at his usual All-Star level, batting .249 with six home runs, 23 RBIs, and a .720 OPS.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stated that although Smith’s injury is manageable, they want to avoid any further complications. “It wouldn’t be wise to push Will just because of who he is,” Roberts commented. “We need to prioritize his health this season. It’s not serious, but we believe being cautious now will pay off later.”
In the meantime, Dalton Rushing will step in as the starting catcher while Chuckie Robinson joins from Triple-A Oklahoma City as the backup.
