Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith’s neck is not getting any better, according to manager Dave Roberts, and his return is looking longer overall.
Smith has been out with neck inflammation and was placed on the injured list, despite Roberts saying the injury was only supposed to be a day or two initially.
Now, with multiple weeks on the shelf, the Dodgers manager shared bad news about Smith’s impending status.
“I just can’t see any world where we would have him active before the All-Star break,” Roberts said
Will Smith has been out since getting scratched from the lineup on June 6th and then put on the IL on June 11th. Even after his IL placement, Roberts expected the minimum for Smith, only 10 days.
However, he has not progressed and, per Roberts, has stopped baseball activities for several days now. He got an injection in his neck more than a week ago, but it has not developed the results needed.
“I think there’s some restriction as far as kind of the lateral, when he does kind of try to ramp it up. It’s still some soreness, maybe a little bit of pain,” Roberts said. “So we just haven’t been able to get to the next step to push the baseball activity.”
How much longer will Smith be out?
The Dodgers are known for being patient with players as they ramp up to avoid setbacks, and while he has not progressed, there is no indication that Smith will miss the whole season.
“It’s certainly longer, I know, than all of us expected,” Roberts said. “But I don’t think it’s anything real, affecting-the-season type thing.”
With his absence looking like it is more a matter of weeks than days, Dalton Rushing will continue to get the bulk of the work as the main catcher.
Rushing has gone through growing pains, but his bat and competitiveness remain compelling for the Dodgers to feel confident going forward.
Still, Smith is a clutch, seasoned player who offers stability behind the dish and in the batter’s box. The Dodgers will need him in the playoffs, and with October in mind, Smith will need to be patient and wait until his neck is ready to go.
