Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith is back in the lineup tonight, as first reported by Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. The All-Star catcher missed the road finale against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday. He injured his wrist on a play at the plate the previous night. The Dodgers were initially unsure how much time Smith would miss. It seems that two consecutive days off helped the soreness subside. He will bat sixth in the Dodgers’ lineup against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Tonight’s Dodgers lineup
Shohei Ohtani, DH
Mookie Betts, SS
Freddie Freeman, 1B
Teoscar Hernandez, RF
Tommy Edman, 2B
Will Smith, C
Michael Conforto, LF
Max Muncy, 3B
Andy Pages, CFYoshinobu Yamamoto, P
— Blake Harris (@BlakeHHarris) April 25, 2025
Will Smith Back in Dodgers Lineup on Friday
Offensive Inconsistency
The Dodgers shot out to an 8-0 start. However, they are a game under .500 since then. The offense has sputtered to a large extent. Reigning National League MVP Shohei Ohtani has just one hit since returning from paternity leave. The new dad appears to be pressing and over-swinging. Additionally, the bottom of the order is not pulling its weight. The bottom of the third of the order has struggled to hit above .200 this season. However, in their last game, there were glimmers of hope, as they went 5-for-11. The Dodgers are hoping that this is the start of things to come.
Playing Like The All-Star He Is
By contrast, Will Smith has been clutch when called upon. He is close to a .500 batting average with runners in scoring position so far this season. He is near the top of majors in OPS. This is remarkable considering that Smith came out of spring training dealing with a bone bruise he suffered in August of 2024, an injury that sent the All-Star catcher into an offensive tailspin in the second half.
Will the Real Dodgers Please Stand Up?
In the first week of the season, the 2025 Dodgers were drawing comparisons to the 1933 New York Yankees, the last defending champs to have such a good start (7-0). It was during this time that Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman missed time due to injury. The last two weeks have left people wondering if this version of the Dodgers is overrated. They are clearly not firing on all cylinders.
The Dodgers will be happy to have Smith, who has been a cog in their offensive machine back in the mix. It is clear they need him.
Photo Credit: © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
