Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star catcher Will Smith revealed that he will be out of the starting lineup for the first game of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Smith has been battling a hairline fracture in his hand suffered last month and was held out of the Wild Card round.
The backstop’s hand is feeling good, and “really close to 100%,” but Smith won’t be starting. He did mention that he will be available off the bench if the situation calls for his bat.
More news: Will Shohei Ohtani Have Pitching Restrictions in Game 1? Dodgers’ Andrew Friedman Answers
Smith has logged just one game since an errant foul ball led to the fracture in his hand on Sept 3. He was able to start behind the dish about a week later but has yet to suit up again.
Since his initial injury, rookie catcher Dalton Rushing also went down with a foul-ball related injury. A shin contusion would place the backstop on the injured list just three days after Smith went down, though Rushing was able to return to action without missing too much time beyond the minimum IL stint.
In the wake of both catcher’s injuries, minor league catcher Ben Rortvedt has emerged as a more than capable option.
Rortvedt was acquired at the trade deadline in a deal centered around the prospects he was dealt with. The catcher would serve his role in Triple-A behind Smith and Rushing, but when he was called up to assist the defending champions with just one month to go until the start of their postseason title defense, he exceeded expectations both offensively and defensively with his framing and game calling abilities.
In the meantime, Rortvedt will get the nod for Game 1 in Philadelphia, as Smith awaits his full return.
More news: Dodgers NLDS Roster Revealed: Clayton Kershaw Returns, 2 Relievers Left Off
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Have you downloaded the new Dodgers Nation app yet? Click here for Apple Users and here for Android Users to be a part of the redesigned app to give fans everything they need, all in one place. Don’t miss out on live GameCast with play-by-play, news and analysis, Dodgers Nation podcasts and videos, all the stats you want and more!
