Dodgers’ Will Smith Makes Big Announcement Ahead of World Series
The cheering section for Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith just got a little larger — and a lot cuter — with the arrival of his second child.
Will and his wife, Cara, welcomed their daughter, Layton Elizabeth, on Tuesday, Oct. 22. The excited parents shared the news on Instagram on Wednesday.
Will and Cara, both 29, introduced Layton to the world by sharing the first photo of their daughter on Instagram, complete with her full name and birth date.
Smith started the season as the top-hitting catcher in baseball, launching 15 home runs by the All-Star break and boasting an .838 OPS. However, his performance took a downturn in the second half, where he managed only five home runs and saw his OPS plummet to .626 over the final 48 games of the regular season.
Despite facing those challenges, Smith remained composed and didn’t let panic set in. He recognized the Dodgers’ decision to move him down to the No. 8 spot in the lineup due to his lack of production.
Instead of sulking, Smith took it as an opportunity to improve, dedicating extra time to batting practice in the days leading up to the game, focusing on hitting to the opposite field and up the middle. His hard work paid off immediately when he launched a two-run homer off Phil Maton during the Dodgers’ four-run third inning in Game 6, ultimately making a significant impact on the game.
“I wanted to stay here to win a World Series, win multiple World Series,” said Smith, who signed a 10-year extension earlier this season. “This is where I felt the best chance was. Fortunately, the Dodgers gave me an opportunity. This year we have a chance to go win it. We’ve still got work to do.”
Game 1 of the World Series against the New York Yankees is on Friday night with the first pitch scheduled for 5:08 PT.
In the previous two years, the Dodgers earned first-round byes but were eliminated in the following division series by less formidable NL West opponents. This October, the players felt that their success would depend largely on how they utilized the five days between the end of the regular season and the beginning of the postseason.
Read more: Max Muncy Reveals How Dodgers Used 5-Day Layoff Differently This Year
The Dodgers and Yankees have faced each other in the World Series 12 times, making it the most frequent championship matchup in major professional sports, tied with the NBA’s Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. Their most recent meeting was in 1981, which the Dodgers won — prior to that, the Yankees claimed victory in 1977 and 1978. Before the Dodgers relocated from Brooklyn to the West Coast in the late 1950s, the two teams spent decades sharing the New York City stage.
Photo Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images
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