{"id":103586,"date":"2025-09-24T08:16:38","date_gmt":"2025-09-24T08:16:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=103586"},"modified":"2025-09-24T08:16:38","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T08:16:38","slug":"breaking-update-dodgers-star-will-smith-shocks-fans-with-a-sudden-announcement-just-before-the-mlb-playoffs-and-this-twist-could-reshape-the-championship-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=103586","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING UPDATE: Dodgers star Will Smith shocks fans with a sudden announcement just before the MLB Playoffs and this twist could reshape the championship race"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"sticky-element stuck styles_stickyElement__rHG7u styles_stickyElementStuck__PIqMW\">\n<header class=\"site-header styles_siteHeader__AuY6l\">\n<div id=\"header\" class=\"styles_menuContainer__91knT has-site-pattern styles_menuContainerClose__IdiTu\">\n<div class=\"styles_menuNavigation__FY2rE\">\n<nav class=\"styles_menuWrapper__BvYjp\" aria-label=\"Primary Menu\">\n<h3>Dodgers\u2019 Will Smith Announces Update Before MLB Playoffs<\/h3>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<p><main id=\"main-content\" class=\"single-post post-id-739855 has-site-pattern\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"styles_singleArticle__1EyCf article-post has-site-pattern\">\n<section class=\"styles_contentSection__2uE7t\">\n<div class=\"content-container styles_contentContainer__CJLdk styles_hasLeftRail__QUMCp\">\n<div class=\"content article-content styles_relativeContent__b8mW_\">\n<p>The Los Angeles Dodgers\u00a0clinched a postseason berth on September 19 and the club is on the verge of clinching their 12th division title in 13 seasons entering the final week of the regular season.<\/p>\n<p>Los Angeles has continued to produce runs in the month of September despite being without the services of their starting catcher, Will Smith. The 30-year-old backstop has been dealing with a hairline fracture in his right hand. Smith originally suffered the injury in a game against the\u00a0Pittsburgh Pirates on September 3 and after trying to play through the discomfort was placed on the injured list ten days later on September 13.<\/p>\n<p>This has been a massive blow to the heart of the Dodgers\u2019 lineup, as Smith had continued to<\/p>\n<p data-wp-block=\"{&quot;dropCap&quot;:false}\" data-wp-block-name=\"core\/paragraph\">produce this year, earning a third consecutive All-Star selection. Over 110 appearances, Smith posted a .296 batting average, .404 on-base percentage, .901 OPS, 17 home runs and 61 RBIs.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"styles_figureContainer__kdsyO wp-block-image size-full fade-in-top visible\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/w_3840,q_auto:good,c_limit\/MjY6MDAwMDAwMDAwNjQ3NDY3\/mlb-milwaukee-brewers-at-los-angeles-dodgers-647467.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 750px) 750px, calc(100vw - 60px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/w_16,q_auto:good,c_limit\/MjY6MDAwMDAwMDAwNjQ3NDY3\/mlb-milwaukee-brewers-at-los-angeles-dodgers-647467.jpg 16w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/w_32,q_auto:good,c_limit\/MjY6MDAwMDAwMDAwNjQ3NDY3\/mlb-milwaukee-brewers-at-los-angeles-dodgers-647467.jpg 32w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/w_48,q_auto:good,c_limit\/MjY6MDAwMDAwMDAwNjQ3NDY3\/mlb-milwaukee-brewers-at-los-angeles-dodgers-647467.jpg 48w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/w_64,q_auto:good,c_limit\/MjY6MDAwMDAwMDAwNjQ3NDY3\/mlb-milwaukee-brewers-at-los-angeles-dodgers-647467.jpg 64w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/w_96,q_auto:good,c_limit\/MjY6MDAwMDAwMDAwNjQ3NDY3\/mlb-milwaukee-brewers-at-los-angeles-dodgers-647467.jpg 96w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/w_128,q_auto:good,c_limit\/MjY6MDAwMDAwMDAwNjQ3NDY3\/mlb-milwaukee-brewers-at-los-angeles-dodgers-647467.jpg 128w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/w_256,q_auto:good,c_limit\/MjY6MDAwMDAwMDAwNjQ3NDY3\/mlb-milwaukee-brewers-at-los-angeles-dodgers-647467.jpg 256w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/w_384,q_auto:good,c_limit\/MjY6MDAwMDAwMDAwNjQ3NDY3\/mlb-milwaukee-brewers-at-los-angeles-dodgers-647467.jpg 384w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/w_640,q_auto:good,c_limit\/MjY6MDAwMDAwMDAwNjQ3NDY3\/mlb-milwaukee-brewers-at-los-angeles-dodgers-647467.jpg 640w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/w_750,q_auto:good,c_limit\/MjY6MDAwMDAwMDAwNjQ3NDY3\/mlb-milwaukee-brewers-at-los-angeles-dodgers-647467.jpg 750w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/w_828,q_auto:good,c_limit\/MjY6MDAwMDAwMDAwNjQ3NDY3\/mlb-milwaukee-brewers-at-los-angeles-dodgers-647467.jpg 828w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/w_1080,q_auto:good,c_limit\/MjY6MDAwMDAwMDAwNjQ3NDY3\/mlb-milwaukee-brewers-at-los-angeles-dodgers-647467.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/w_1200,q_auto:good,c_limit\/MjY6MDAwMDAwMDAwNjQ3NDY3\/mlb-milwaukee-brewers-at-los-angeles-dodgers-647467.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/w_1920,q_auto:good,c_limit\/MjY6MDAwMDAwMDAwNjQ3NDY3\/mlb-milwaukee-brewers-at-los-angeles-dodgers-647467.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/w_2048,q_auto:good,c_limit\/MjY6MDAwMDAwMDAwNjQ3NDY3\/mlb-milwaukee-brewers-at-los-angeles-dodgers-647467.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/w_3840,q_auto:good,c_limit\/MjY6MDAwMDAwMDAwNjQ3NDY3\/mlb-milwaukee-brewers-at-los-angeles-dodgers-647467.jpg 3840w\" alt=\"Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (16)\" width=\"5049\" height=\"3488\" data-nimg=\"1\" \/><\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"will-smith-injury-update-emerges-before-diamondbacks-game\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Will Smith Injury Update Emerges Before Diamondbacks Game<\/h2>\n<p data-wp-block=\"{&quot;dropCap&quot;:false}\" data-wp-block-name=\"core\/paragraph\">Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has confirmed that Smith\u2019s regular season has come to an end, but the team remains hopeful that his return will come in the opening round of the playoffs. Ahead of the Dodgers\u2019 series opener against the\u00a0Arizona Diamondbacks, Smith was still seen wearing a splint on his right hand. Smith announced that he had not begun baseball activities yet and it would be a matter of his pain subsiding before he does, but the hope remains to be available for a postseason game next Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p data-wp-block=\"{&quot;dropCap&quot;:false}\" data-wp-block-name=\"core\/paragraph\"><em>\u201cWill Smith is still wearing a splint on his broken hand. Said the hope is still that he gets to a place where he\u2019s ready to go for next Tuesday\u2019s start to the postseason, but it\u2019ll be up to his pain tolerance on when he can start to ramp up baseball activities,\u201d wrote The Athletic\u2019s Fabian Ardaya.<\/em><\/p>\n<p data-wp-block=\"{&quot;dropCap&quot;:false}\" data-wp-block-name=\"core\/paragraph\">Smith still not being able to resume baseball activities with postseason play beginning in a week has certainly complicated Los Angeles\u2019 plans on repeating as World Series champions. Smith\u2019s been one of the most valuable players on the team and possesses the ability of timely hitting, which is crucial in the playoffs. He also has taken strides forward defensively, throwing out baserunners at a high rate this season.<\/p>\n<p data-wp-block=\"{&quot;dropCap&quot;:false}\" data-wp-block-name=\"core\/paragraph\">In Smith\u2019s absence, Ben Rortvedt has emerged as the team\u2019s primary catcher over rookie Dalton Rushing. Rortvedt has received high praise from Roberts and the pitching staff for his presence behind the plate. Rushing still figures to play a role for the Dodgers, as he is one of the team\u2019s top prospects, but if Smith is unavailable in the opening round, Rortvedt will likely start at catcher.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/main><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":103599,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-103586","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>BREAKING UPDATE: Dodgers star Will Smith shocks fans with a sudden announcement just before the MLB Playoffs and this twist could reshape the championship race - News 365<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=103586\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"BREAKING UPDATE: Dodgers star Will Smith shocks fans with a sudden announcement just before the MLB Playoffs and this twist could reshape the championship race - 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