The Los Angeles Dodgers faced an unexpected twist ahead of their series finale against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday.
Will Smith, the team’s All-Star catcher and a key part of the lineup, was notably absent from the roster.
This came as a surprise to many, especially considering Smith had already rested during Sunday’s game and the team had a scheduled off-day on Monday.
Prior to Wednesday’s matchup, Smith disclosed in a radio interview with AM570’s David Vassegh that he suffered a minor injury during Tuesday night’s game.
The incident occurred in the sixth inning when Smith made a forceful tag on Cubs outfielder Ian Happ at home plate, resulting in a sore wrist the following morning.
Though the injury isn’t considered serious, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts opted to keep Smith out of the lineup for an additional day to allow for some extra recovery time.
The decision appears to be precautionary. Roberts emphasized that Smith’s ability to return would largely depend on his pain tolerance, suggesting there’s no long-term concern.
Smith has been off to an exceptional start this season, boasting a .350 batting average, a .453 on-base percentage, and a .567 slugging percentage.
He’s already recorded three home runs, 15 RBIs, and an impressive OPS of 1.020. Notably, he’s been particularly clutch with runners in scoring position, hitting a remarkable .733 in those situations.
In Smith’s absence, veteran catcher Austin Barnes stepped into the starting role. Barnes, however, has struggled offensively so far this season, managing just two hits in 19 at-bats.
With Smith out, the Dodgers leaned heavily on the top of their lineup to generate offense against Cubs starter Matthew Boyd.
Boyd, who has been dominant this season with a 2.01 ERA, previously held the Dodgers to three runs over six innings in their last encounter.
Wednesday’s game marked the final regular-season meeting between the Dodgers and Cubs, with both teams having split the previous six matchups evenly. The Dodgers hoped to close out the series on a high note despite missing one of their most productive hitters.