Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith will begin his rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday.
The catcher will stay behind the plate for five innings, per David Vassegh.
Smith last played for the Dodgers on June 5, though didn’t move to the injured list until a week later. The Dodgers listed Smith’s initially mysterious injury as neck inflammation, though diagnosed it as an inflamed disk after his move to the injured list.
The three-time All-Star didn’t make much progress in his injury leading up to the trade deadline, and after catcher Dalton Rushing also suffered a long-term injury—a minor tear in his UCL—the Dodgers decided to take action at the beginning of August.
The Dodgers traded for former catchers Ben Rortvedt and Hunter Feduccia at the deadline from the New York Mets and Tampa Bay Rays, providing the team with serviceable catchers who are familiar with the Dodgers’ pitching staff at a premium price. They also sent Eliezer Alfonzo to Triple-A and designated Chuckie Robinson for assignment after the moves.
Smith will certainly be a step up from those two, though, even amid a subpar offensive season by his standards. Through his 52 games with the Dodgers this season, Smith hit just six homers and drove in 23 runs, slashing .249/.338/.382 for a .720 OPS, which would be the lowest mark of his career so far.
Behind the plate, Smith traded as a slightly below-average defender this season, posting a minus-1 fielding run value, but ranks in the top 30% of MLB catchers with plus-3 blocks above average.
When Will the Dodgers Reinstate Will Smith?
Smith is only just beginning his rehab assignment, and the Dodgers are yet to reveal how long he may remain with Triple-A Oklahoma City. That being said, the fact that he is playing in games and getting some time behind the plate is key, and with the maximum time on his rehab assignment limited to a month, he will be back before the end of the regular season.
The Dodgers may bring him back before then, though, as getting him used to major league pitching when he returns to game readiness will be incredibly important for their postseason run.
Until then, though, the Dodgers will hope Rortvedt and Feduccia can hold down the fort as they continue pushing for yet another first-place finish in the NL West.
