Dodgers News: Dave Roberts Mindful of Getting Will Smith Back Up to Speed After WBC
Dodgers starting catcher Will Smith has officially made his return to the Dodgers after a two-week hiatus to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. Smith didn’t get a ton of consistent playing time in the tournament, as he was playing alongside another great catcher in J.T. Realmuto of the Phillies. Because of that, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made it clear that he wants to work Smith a lot over this final week of spring to get him back up to speed for the regular season (per SportsNet LA).
“I am mindful of Will,” Roberts said. “He got to be a part of it but didn’t play that much. He’s still got to get ready, log innings behind the plate and take at-bats. … We have 7 games, he’ll play parts of 4 games is my hope.”
That plan is beginning on Thursday, as Smith is back in the lineup for the Dodgers in their spring game against the Diamondbacks. He’s starting at catcher and hitting in the three-hole, somewhere I expect him to hit a lot this season.
Roberts told Kirsten Watson on Wednesday that Smith will likely play around five innings in the game, which will be good for him to get his legs back under him.
The Dodgers open their season on March 30, which is just a week away. So it’s officially time to make sure everyone is ramped up and ready to go.
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