Will Smith Injury News & Updates

Smith will be on the bench Saturday against the Giants.

Smith sits for the second time in three days, with the Dodgers seemingly prioritizing rest in the final week of the regular season. He's one homer shy of his third straight 20-homer campaign but will have to wait until the final game of the season to try for it, unless he appears as a pinch hitter Saturday. Austin Barnes will start behind the plate in Smith's absence, catching for Clayton Kershaw.

Smith went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run, a hit-by-pitch and an additional run scored in Friday's 6-2 win over the Giants.

Smith got the scoring started with his first-inning blast. The catcher has struggled a bit lately, going just 5-for-36 (.139) over his last 10 games, though he's still managed five RBI in that span. For the season, he's posted a .259/.357/.437 slash line with 19 long balls, 76 RBI, 79 runs scored, three stolen bases, 21 doubles and two triples over 125 games.

Smith is out of the lineup Thursday at Colorado.

Austin Barnes will start behind the plate and bat ninth in the Dodgers' series finale against the Rockies. Smith went 1-for-8 with two RBI over the first two games of the three-game set.

Smith is not in the lineup for the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader at Colorado.

Smith will presumably catch in the nightcap after Austin Barnes starts behind the plate and bats ninth in the early tilt at Coors Field. Smith is sitting on a .796 OPS with 18 homers and 72 RBI through 122 games this season.

Smith will sit Saturday against the Giants, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

The Dodgers have gone with a pattern of two starts for Smith followed by one start for Austin Barnes for most of the last month. If the pattern continues, we'll see Smith start Sunday and then four more times over the final week. The Dodgers are all but locked into the second seed in the National League, however, trailing Atlanta by 4.5 games while leading Milwaukee by 6.5, which could result in additional off days for the team's regulars over the final week.

Smith is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Tigers.

This appears to be a routine day of rest for Smith, who started behind the plate in the first two games of the Dodgers' three-game set versus Detroit. Austin Barnes will catch and bat ninth in Wednesday's series finale.

Smith is out of the lineup for Sunday's game at Seattle.

Smith will receive Sunday off after Los Angeles clinched the NL West title Saturday. Austin Barnes will work behind the plate and bat ninth.

Smith is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Padres.

This seems to be a planned day of rest for Smith, who went 2-for-3 with a three-run homer and a double in the Dodgers' win over San Diego on Tuesday. Austin Barnes will catch and bat ninth Wednesday.

Smith went 2-for-3 with a three-run home run, a double, a walk and three total runs scored in Tuesday's 11-2 win over the Padres.

Smith had gone 0-for-11 with four walks over his last three games before breaking out of the slump. His fourth-inning blast put the Dodgers firmly in control in the blowout victory. The catcher also snapped a 10-game homer drought with his 18th long ball of the season. He's maintained a .269/.367/.450 slash line with 71 RBI, 74 runs scored and three stolen bases over 115 contests.

Smith is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Nationals, Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA reports.

Smith will receive a breather Sunday in Washington after he posted a .619 OPS while starting the previous nine games. Austin Barnes will take over behind the plate and bat ninth.

Smith went 3-for-6 with an RBI and two runs scored in Thursday's 10-0 win over the Marlins.

Thursday marked Smith's fifth multi-hit performance in his last nine games. The 28-year-old backstop has posted a .325 batting average in 40 at-bats during this stretch, although 11 of his 13 hits have been singles. In 45 games since the All-Star break, Smith is slashing .266/.318/.395 with 11 doubles, four home runs, 22 RBI, 25 runs scored and two steals with a 19.5 percent strikeout rate and a 6.2 percent walk rate across 195 plate appearances.

Smith is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Diamondbacks.

It's a routine day of rest for Smith, who went 4-for-10 with a solo homer and two runs scored in the first two games of the Dodgers' three-game series versus Arizona. Austin Barnes will catch and bat ninth.

Smith went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 9-1 win over the Diamondbacks.

Smith has had a rather modest August, batting .247 (23-for-93) with four homers and 14 RBI over 24 contests. This was his second straight multi-hit game, and his sixth such effort of the month. The veteran catcher is at a .271/.366/.461 slash line with 17 long balls, 66 RBI, 67 runs scored and two stolen bases over 104 games this season.

Smith is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Red Sox.

Smith will get a breather after going 1-for-8 with two walks and two runs scored in the first two games of the three-game series at Boston. Austin Barnes is starting at catcher for the Dodgers and batting ninth.

Smith is not in the lineup for Thursday's later game at Cleveland.

Smith caught all nine innings and went 0-for-4 with an RBI sac fly in Wednesday's rain-suspended 6-1 win, which had to be concluded Thursday afternoon. Austin Barnes will start behind the plate in the Dodgers' regularly-scheduled tilt versus the Guardians.

Smith went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's loss to the Guardians.

He gave the Dodgers an early lead by taking former battery-mate Noah Syndergaard deep in the first inning, but it didn't hold up. Smith is having a sluggish August by his standards, slashing .254/.295/.423 through 19 games with three of his 16 homers on the season and 11 of his 63 RBI.

Smith will start at designated hitter and bat cleanup Thursday versus the Brewers, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Smith was set to get a day off Thursday, but J.D. Martinez (groin) was a late scratch, so Smith will return to the lineup. The 28-year-old has gone 3-for-8 with two RBI and a run scored over the first two games of the series.

Smith is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Brewers.

Austin Barnes will catch and bat ninth versus the Brewers and right-hander Corbin Burnes. J.D. Martinez is serving as the Dodgers' designated hitter and batting cleanup. This appears to be a routine day of rest for Smith, who had started five straight games behind the dish.

Smith went 3-for-4 with two RBI in Wednesday's 7-1 win over the Brewers.

Smith also supplied a sacrifice fly. The catcher had gone just 4-for-22 over his last seven games since his previous multi-hit effort. For the season, he's up to a .277/.378/.469 slash line with 15 home runs, 61 RBI, 62 runs scored, two stolen bases and 18 doubles through 94 games as a consistent presence in the heart of the lineup.

Smith went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 4-1 win over the Rockies.

Smith saw a seven-game hitting streak end Thursday versus the Rockies, but he snapped out of a quiet spell with his game-tying blast in the first inning Saturday. The catcher is up to 15 long balls on the season, two of which have come in August. For the season, he's added 59 RBI, 60 runs scored, two stolen bases and a .275/.381/.471 slash line over 91 contests.

Smith isn't in the Dodgers' lineup Thursday against the Rockies.

Smith is currently enjoying a seven-game hitting streak but will get a breather for Thursday's series opener with the Rockies. Austin Barnes will fill in behind the dish and bat ninth.

Smith is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Padres, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Smith started the past eight games and will receive a day off after going 5-for-28 during that stretch. Austin Barnes will take over behind the plate and bat ninth Sunday.

Smith went 1-for-3 with a solo home run, a walk and a stolen base in Saturday's 8-3 loss to the Padres.

Smith has hit safely in four straight games, and he's driven in a run in each of them. The homer was his first since July 7, while the steal was his second of the campaign. The catcher is slashing .276/.384/.474 with 14 long balls, 56 RBI, 57 runs scored and 17 doubles through 85 contests overall.

Smith (elbow) is starting at catcher and batting third Tuesday against Oakland.

Smith took a pitch off his left elbow in Sunday's series finale versus the Reds, but X-rays turned up negative and he's ready to rock for the Dodgers in their series opener versus the Athletics. The 28-year-old has posted an .862 OPS with 13 homers and 52 RBI through 80 games this season.

Smith (elbow) underwent X-rays that came back negative Sunday, Matthew Moreno of DodgerBlue.com reports.

Smith was hit by a pitch in the first inning of Sunday's game against the Reds and was later removed due to what was deemed a left elbow contusion. Further testing didn't reveal any structural damage, and he hopes to be available for Tuesday's matchup against the Athletics.

Smith was removed from Sunday's game against the Reds with a left elbow contusion.

Smith was hit by a pitch in the left elbow during the opening frame Sunday and was pulled from the contest before making another plate appearance. The 28-year-old should be considered day-to-day and will have Monday's team off day to aid in his recovery before Tuesday's matchup with Oakland.

Smith is not in the lineup for Wednesday's contest against the Blue Jays, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

It's a day game after a night game, so the Dodgers are giving Smith a breather. Austin Barnes will do the catching for Tony Gonsolin.

Smith is batting third as the designated hitter Sunday against the Rangers, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

The 28-year-old was scheduled for a full day of rest Sunday but will instead serve as the designated hitter after J.D. Martinez (hamstring) was scratched. Smith is in the midst of a five-game hit streak and has gone 11-for-22 with three doubles, three walks, five RBI and six runs.

Smith is out of the lineup for Sunday's game at Texas, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Smith started the past five games and will receive a day off after he went 11-for-22 with three doubles, three walks, five RBI and six runs during that stretch. Austin Barnes will step in behind the plate to catch for Emmet Sheehan.

Smith didn't allow a baserunner during the ninth inning to earn the save Tuesday against Tampa Bay. He didn't strike out or walk any batters.

Smith entered for the ninth inning with a two-run lead and quickly retired the side in order on just 10 pitches for his 17th save in 19 opportunities. The veteran lefty has given up just one hit across his past five outings and has a 2.75 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 38:8 K:BB over 36 innings this season. Manager Bruce Bochy recently named Smith and Aroldis Chapman as co-closers, with the former picking up Texas' last two saves.

Smith allowed a hit and struck out one in a scoreless inning to earn the save in Sunday's 6-5 win over the Guardians.

Smith has lost the full-time closer job, but he remains in the ninth-inning mix while sharing duties with Aroldis Chapman. The Rangers didn't take the lead until the eighth inning Sunday, so this was a bit of a surprise save chance. Smith has converted 16 of 18 save opportunities with a 2.83 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 38:8 K:BB through 35 innings. With the Rangers among the top teams in the American League, Smith should continue to see plenty of save chances, though he's also likely to pick up some more holds along the way.

Smith is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mets, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Smith will get what looks like a routine rest day after catching the first two games after the break, as well as several innings for the National League in the All-Star Game. Austin Barnes will catch for starter Bobby Miller as Max Muncy moves up to the three hole against right-hander Max Scherzer.

Smith struck out two batters over 1.2 hitless and scoreless innings to earn a hold in Saturday's 2-0 win over Cleveland.

Smith, who needed just 19 pitches to get those five outs, shepherded the lead to the ninth inning for Aroldis Chapman, who was as efficient as Smith in picking up his first save since joining Texas. Earlier in the day, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy announced that Smith and Chapman would be co-closers, per Jeff Wilson of RangersToday.com. Smith's value obviously takes a hit with the new arrangement, but he's converted 15 of 17 save opportunities and is a trusted arm.

Smith went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run and scored an additional run in an 11-4 victory versus the Angels on Friday.

Smith is one of four Dodgers position players elected to this season's upcoming All-Star Game, and they all went deep in the contest, with Smith completing the feat on a two-run shot in the eighth inning. The backstop finished with his first multi-hit game since June 20 -- he had been slumping with a .154/.306/.359 slash line over his previous 11 games. Despite that stretch, Smith is still putting up excellent numbers on the campaign, posting a .279/.396/.498 slash line, 13 homers, 44 RBI, one steal and a sterling 43:38 BB:K over 283 plate appearances.

Smith is not in the lineup Thursday against the Pirates.

Smith will grab some rest after handling the catching duties in the first three games of the Dodgers' four-game set versus Pittsburgh. Austin Barnes is starting behind the plate and batting ninth in Thursday's series finale.

Smith is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Royals, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Smith started the first two games of the series in Kansas City and will take a seat for the finale after going 1-for-nine with a triple and a run. Austin Barnes will step in behind the plate to catch for Tony Gonsolin.

Smith is not in the lineup Thursday against the Rockies.

This appears to be a routine night off for Smith, who handling the catching duties in the first two games of the Dodgers' three-game set at Coors Field and drew a trio of walks Wednesday. Austin Barnes will start behind the plate and bat ninth in Thursday's series finale.

Smith went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and a walk Sunday in an extra-innings loss to Houston.

Smith homered for the second straight contest, slugging a game-tying two-run shot to center field in the bottom of the eighth inning. The star catcher continues to be a steady and potent force in the heart of the Dodgers' lineup, slashing .306/.479/.583 with three long balls, eight RBI, six runs and a 10:11 BB:K over his past 11 games. Smith's 1.12 BB/K ranks second behind only Luis Arraez among qualified major-league hitters this season.

Smith went 1-for-3 with a solo home run, an additional run and a walk in Saturday's 8-7 victory versus the Astros.

Smith put the Dodgers on the board with a solo shot to left field in the first inning and scored the game-tying run during the team's rally in the eighth. The long ball was his 11th of the season, which ranks fourth among big-league catchers. Smith's other offensive numbers help make him one of the game's elite hitting backstops, as he's slashing .292/.407/.508 with 39 RBI, 36 runs, one steal and a 37:33 BB:K.

Smith is not in the starting lineup versus the White Sox on Wednesday, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Smith will take a seat with Austin Barnes (wrist) returning to the lineup for the Dodgers for the first time since Thursday. In the month of June, Smith has slashed .206/.289/.441 with two homers and five RBI over 34 at-bats.

Smith went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's 5-1 win over the White Sox.

Smith opened the scoring in the first inning, and that was ultimately all the Dodgers needed for the win. The catcher has been a little shaky at the plate lately, going 9-for-38 (.237) over his last 11 games, though he has three homers and seven RBI in that span. For the season, he owns a .290/.393/.521 slash line with 10 long balls, 35 RBI, 32 runs scored and a stolen base over 48 contests. He remains a consistent presence in the heart of the order when he plays.

Smith is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Reds.

It's a day game after a night game, so Smith will begin the afternoon on the bench. Austin Barnes will catch Clayton Kershaw.

Smith went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, two total runs and two total RBI in Thursday's loss to the Reds.

Smith had been uncharacteristically quiet at the plate over his past three games coming into Wednesday, going 1-for-11 with four strikeouts. The catcher got back on track with a pair of hits, including a third-inning two-run homer. Smith is tied for fourth among catchers with nine long balls on the campaign, and he's staked a loud claim for his first All-Star selection with a .305/.407/.532 slash line along with 32 RBI, 31 runs, one steal and a sterling 28:19 BB:K.

Smith is out of the lineup Tuesday against the Nationals.

This looks to be a routine night off for Smith, who played the full game at catcher Monday in the Dodgers' 6-1 defeat of Washington. Austin Barnes will handle catching duties and hit ninth Tuesday versus the Nats.

Smith is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rays.

With Sunday's game beginning at 11:35 a.m. ET, Smith will get a well-deserved breather after he had started behind the plate in each of the Dodgers' last six games. Austin Barnes will step in at catcher, forming a battery with starting pitcher Gavin Stone.

Smith went 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI in Tuesday's 8-1 victory versus Atlanta.

Smith plated the game's first run with a single in the first inning and knocked in two more with a two-out double in the second. The 28-year-old had been in a mild slump coming into the contest, going 2-for-14 over his previous five games. As a whole, Smith has been among the league's most productive catchers on the campaign, slashing .310/.406/.552 with seven homers, 25 runs, 27 RBI and a stolen base. He's also drawn 21 walks and struck out just 12 times over 143 plate appearances, giving him a 1.75 BB/K -- the top mark among all major-leaguers with at least 100 trips to the dish.

Smith is in the Dodgers' lineup Tuesday versus Atlanta, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Smith took a Marcell Ozuna backswing to the head in Monday's series opener, but he played the entire game and ultimately checked out fine afterward. The star catcher is slashing .297/.399/.541 with seven home runs and 24 RBI in 31 games (138 plate appearances) this season for Los Angeles.

Smith will be on the bench for Saturday's game against the Cardinals, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Smith has delivered his typically excellent performance at the plate this season, slashing .314/.406/.571 with seven homers in 28 games. He'll get a rest Saturday with Austin Barnes taking over behind the plate.

Smith is not in the starting lineup Tuesday against the Twins.

Austin Barnes will take a turn behind the plate and bat ninth versus the Twins and right-hander Bailey Ober. Smith homered in Monday's series opener and is sitting on a stellar .323/.412/.613 batting line through 114 plate appearances this year.

Smith went 2-for-6 with a home run, two RBI and three runs scored in Monday's victory over the Twins.

Smith and Max Muncy went back-to-back in the first inning to give the Dodgers a 3-0 lead. Smith came around to score again on Muncy's second homer of the night in the third inning. The Dodgers' catcher is riding a six-game hitting streak and is in the midst of his best season, as he has a 1.025 OPS.

Smith is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's contest against the Padres.

Smith will get a day of rest Sunday after picking up hits in the first two games of the series against San Diego. Austin Barnes will be behind the plate for the Dodgers and hit ninth versus Ryan Weathers and the Padres.

Smith went 1-for-4 with a walk and a solo home run in Wednesday's 8-1 win over the Brewers.

He went back-to-back with Freddie Freeman in the fourth inning to kick off the rout for the Dodgers. Smith has six hits in his last three games, with four of them going for extra bases (two doubles and two homers), and on the season the 28-year-old backstop is slashing a dazzling .325/.420/.625 with six long balls, 19 runs and 19 RBI through 22 contests.

Smith went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBI in Tuesday's 6-2 victory over the Brewers.

Smith smoked a cutter from Eric Lauer for a solo shot in the third inning. The Dodgers' catcher has four multi-hit games and a .385/.485/.692 slashline in the month of May. Smith has struck out just six times this season, as he has a career best 1.026 OPS in 2023.

Smith is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Brewers, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Smith was probably overdue for a day off after he had started nine consecutive games at either catcher or designated hitter since returning from a concussion April 28. Austin Barnes will form a battery with starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin on Monday while Smith gets a breather for the series opener in Milwaukee.

Smith went 0-for-1 with three walks, a stolen base and a run scored in Saturday's 2-1 win over the Padres.

Smith was effective despite not recording a hit for just the third time in his last nine games. He also came around to score on a Chris Taylor home run in the fourth inning. The steal was Smith's first of the season, and he's never swiped more than three bags in a campaign, so he shouldn't be expected to run much. The catcher is slashing a solid .294/.400/.529 with four homers, 15 RBI, 17 runs scored and four doubles through 85 plate appearances.

Smith went 2-for-5 with a sol home run and an additional RBI in Monday's 13-4 rout of the Phillies.

Smith kicked off the scoring with a solo homer in the first inning, and he added an RBI single in the fourth. Since returning from a concussion Friday, the backstop has started four straight games, going 4-for-16 with two extra-base hits, four runs and three RBI over that span. Smith's eye at the plate has been extraordinarily keen this season, as he has struck out only five times while working eight walks over 67 plate appearances.

Smith went 1-for-5 with two runs in a 7-3 win against the Cardinals on Friday.

Smith batted third as the Dodgers' designated hitter in his return from the injured list. He missed over two weeks while dealing with a concussion but didn't appear hampered at the plate Friday, putting the ball in play in each of his five plate appearances and reaching on an infield single in the fifth frame. Per Eric Stephen of SBNation.com, manager Dave Roberts suggested that Smith could DH again Saturday before potentially returning to backstop duties Sunday.

Smith (concussion) will be in the lineup as the designated hitter against the Cardinals after activating him off the 7-day concussion list, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Smith hasn't played since April 12 while dealing with a concussion, but the All-Star backstop is ready to roll for the series against the Cardinals. He should return to catching duties for the Dodgers in the coming days.

Smith (concussion) is expected to be activated from the injured list ahead of the Dodgers' game against the Cardinals on Friday, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Manager Dave Roberts had said earlier this week that Smith probably wouldn't be back until at least Saturday, but now the skipper says Smith will be in Friday's lineup at designated hitter as long as he clears evaluation and gets through live batting practice with no issues. Part of the reasoning for bringing him back a day earlier is J.D. Martinez (back) still being banged up. Smith hasn't played since April 12 due to a concussion but has been symptom-free for a little while now.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that Smith (concussion) won't be activated from the 7-day injured list until at least Saturday, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

The Dodgers had previously considered activating Smith for Friday's series opener versus the Cardinals, but the 28-year-old backstop looks like he'll get at least a few more days to recover from the concussion before returning to action. The worst of the brain injury appears to be behind Smith at this point; he said he hasn't been experiencing any headaches since last Friday, and he's been able to do agility work, take batting practice and catch bullpen sessions within the past few days. He'll get some more live at-bats when the Dodgers return to Los Angeles on Friday, and if all goes well, Smith should be back in the lineup before the weekend comes to a close.

Smith (concussion) told reporters before Wednesday's game versus the Pirates that he's unsure if he'll be able to return against the Cardinals on Friday, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Smith mentioned that the headaches he's been experiencing have been gone since Friday. The backstop was able to throw to bases and take live batting practice Wednesday, but the Dodgers and Smith have been extremely cautious in making sure he doesn't return too early from his first concussion. Even if Smith isn't back by Friday, the 28-year-old should be back behind the plate for Los Angeles in the coming days.

Smith (concussion) threw to bases and took live batting practice Wednesday, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

With his concussion symptoms abated, Smith has been ramping up workouts in his bid to return to the Dodgers' lineup. Assuming he gets through Wednesday's workout with no issues and bounces back fine, he could potentially be back this weekend.

Manager Dave Roberts said Smith (concussion) is slated to take live batting practice Wednesday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

After taking part in agility work Tuesday, Smith will take what appears to be another step forward in his recovery from a concussion by facing pitching. The Dodgers don't plan to activate Smith for the team's three-game series in Pittsburgh, but he could be ready to return from the 7-day injured list ahead of Friday's series opener versus the Cardinals in Los Angeles.

Smith (concussion) went through agility drills Tuesday afternoon in Pittsburgh, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has already stated that Smith will not be activated during this three-game series against the Pirates, which runs through Thursday, but it's a good sign that the 28-year-old catcher is traveling with the team and now doing baseball activities. He could perhaps return from the concussion IL over the weekend.

Smith (concussion) is not expected to return during the Dodgers' current road trip, which runs through Thursday, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Smith has missed 10 days while recovering from a concussion and is expected to miss at least five more. He's reportedly making progress, but it will be Austin Barnes and Austin Wynns who remain the Dodgers' catchers for the conclusion of the weekend series against the Cubs as well as the upcoming series against the Pirates.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Thursday that he doesn't expect Smith (concussion) to return during the weekend series against the Cubs, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

The initial plan was for Smith to return to the Dodgers' lineup Thursday against the Cubs, but it now seems that he will have to wait a bit longer. Roberts added that Smith is improving, but gave no more details on when the 28-year-old backstop might play again.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters that Smith (concussion) is "days away" from being activated from the injured list, but it won't be before Thursday's game against the Cubs, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Smith still has a few boxes to check and he won't be able to do so before the series against the Cubs begins Thursday. The Dodgers are understandably taking every precaution they can with their starting backstop, and while he has a chance to return this week there are no guarantees when coming back from a head injury.

Smith (concussion) told reporters before Monday's game against the Mets that he's hoping to be able to return Thursday against the Cubs, but he doesn't want to rush back, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Smith was placed on the 7-day injured list before Sunday's game, and he told reporters it's the first time that he's ever received a concussion. There's a good chance that the backstop is back before the end of the week, but the Dodgers will understandably take every necessary precaution before Smith is starting games behind the plate.

Smith was placed on the seven-day concussion injured list by the Dodgers on Sunday, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Smith has been out of the lineup for the Dodgers since Friday with what has been described as an illness. The backstop will miss at least a week of action with the Dodgers taking careful precautions with their 28-year-old starting backstop. The Dodgers have signed Austin Wynns in a corresponding move, but Austin Barnes should see the majority of reps behind the plate while Smith is out.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters after Saturday's win against the Cubs that Smith (illness) won't play in Sunday's series finale and will undergo further testing, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Austin Barnes will once again be behind the plate. Smith has missed the last two games because of the undisclosed illness and will miss at least one more with Hoornstra believing that there could be a roster move coming. For now Smith is still considered day-to-day but the results of the testing will go a long way towards determining his status going forward.

Smith (illness) remains out of the lineup Saturday against the Cubs.

Smith was absent from Friday's series opener because of an illness and will take at least one more day of rest. Austin Barnes is starting at catcher and batting ninth on Jackie Robinson Day at Dodger Stadium.

Smith is sitting Friday against the Cubs due to an illness, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

He was supposed to be in the lineup but came in feeling sick Friday. Austin Barnes is starting at catcher and Smith should be considered day-to-day.

Smith isn't starting Friday against the Cubs, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Smith has caught fire to start the season, slashing .333/.417/.641 through his first 11 games. He will enjoy an off day Friday as Austin Barnes takes over behind the dish and bats ninth.

Smith is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks.

Smith gets Sunday off with Austin Barnes getting the nod behind the plate. The backstop has been excellent in his first seven games of the year with three homers and a 1.269 OPS over 27 at-bats.

Smith isn't in the Dodgers' lineup for Friday's contest with the Diamondbacks, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Smith is off to a scorching-hot start to the season, slashing .391/.464/.913 through his first six games with at least one hit in each of them. He'll get a day off Friday, allowing Austin Barnes to start behind the dish and bat ninth.

Smith went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and a run-scoring double in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Rockies.

Smith left the yard for the third game in a row and appears to have settled in just fine after moving up to the No. 3 spot in the order in 2023 after primarily batting cleanup last season. He's recorded at least one hit while starting in five of the Dodgers' first six games and is tied for the MLB lead in RBI with 10.

Smith went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer and an additional run scored in Monday's victory over the Rockies.

Smith has secured at least one hit in each of his first four starts of the season and has home runs in back-to-back games. The 2016 first-round pick has slashed at least .250/.335/.465 in each of his first four MLB seasons and remains one of the more consistent offensive catchers in the league.

Smith went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's loss to Arizona.

Smith sat out Saturday's contest but was back behind the plate Sunday, batting out of the No. 3 slot. He produced the Dodgers' only run of the game with his first-inning solo shot off Zach Davies. Smith is off to a strong start to the campaign, starting in three of Los Angeles' first four contests and posting a .455/.500/.818 slash line with the home run, five RBI and a 2:2 B:K over 14 plate appearances.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters Friday that Smith will not catch Saturday's contest against the Diamondbacks, Matthew Moreno of DodgerBlue.com reports.

Roberts doesn't want Smith to catch three games in a row in the early part of the year. That means Austin Barnes will be behind the plate for the Dodgers on Saturday, and Roberts says they'll have more right-handed options in the lineup. Smith could end up being the DH, but it's also very possible he'll get a day off after playing in the first two contests.

Smith went 3-for-4 with a double, a run and four RBI in Thursday's 8-2 win against Arizona.

Smith's first at-bat of the campaign was about as professional as they come, as he took a Zac Gallen offspeed offering the other way for a double in the first inning. In the third, the backstop came up with runners on second and third and two outs, and he came through with a clutch single to right field to tie the score 2-2. Smith later gave Los Angeles its first lead with a two-run single in the fifth inning. The Opening Day performance served as a strong reminder of Smith's status as one of the top hitting catchers in the league. He should have plenty of opportunities to produce this season as the Dodgers No. 3 hitter, behind Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.

Smith is back in the Dodgers' Cactus League lineup Thursday against the Diamondbacks.

Smith will start behind the plate and bat third. He didn't get many at-bats for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic while mostly serving as J.T. Realmuto's backup, so the Dodgers figure to push him hard over what remains of the Cactus League schedule. The 27-year-old has gone as the No. 3 catcher-eligible player off the board in most fantasy drafts for 2023, behind only Realmuto and Daulton Varsho.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts hinted Wednesday that Smith will be the team's No. 3 hitter this season, Doug Padilla of the Orange County Register reports. "It's hard to go wrong with [Smith] in the three. A guy that can hit left, hit right, he can drive runs in, values the walk, so makes sense," Roberts said.

Smith most frequently batted out of the cleanup spot in 2022, but Los Angeles' lineup has a different look this season, and Roberts appears to favor moving him up a slot. The backstop should continue to see plenty of opportunities to produce with Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman likely hitting ahead of him, though Smith could play slightly fewer games with the DH slot -- where he started 24 times last year -- now expected to be occupied on a near-everyday basis by J.D. Martinez. Even if that's the case, Smith should have ample opportunity to put up numbers worthy of a top-three catcher in fantasy, which is where he's largely being drafted this spring.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts noted this past weekend that Smith will not DH quite as much in 2023, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

That's because the Dodgers brought in J.D. Martinez over the winter to fill that role on pretty much an everyday basis. Smith drew 24 starts out of the DH spot in 2022, compared to 107 starts at catcher. He could potentially push more toward 120 starts behind the plate in 2023. "The one thing I don't want Will to hear right now is he's gonna get less at bats," Roberts said. "We're gonna manage it, monitor it and see how it goes."

Smith and the Dodgers agreed on a one-year, $5.25 million contract Friday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Smith will avoid arbitration after striking a deal with Los Angeles on Friday. The catcher is coming off of a very productive 2022 campaign where he batted .260 with 24 homers, 87 RBI, 68 runs and a stolen base over 508 at-bats in 137 games with the Dodgers. Operating in the heart of the stacked Dodgers' lineup, the 27-year-old will remain one of the best fantasy options at backstop heading into the 2023 season.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after Monday's 2-1 loss to the Rockies that Smith will be out of the lineup for Tuesday's game, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Austin Barnes will get the nod behind the plate while Smith gets some rest ahead of the postseason. Smith had started in 10 of the Dodgers' last 11 games, batting .279 with five extra-base hits, six runs and four RBI.

Smith isn't in the lineup Saturday against the Rockies, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Smith started the last eight games and hit .343 with two homers, two triples, a double, six runs, four RBI and eight strikeouts. Austin Barnes will take over behind the dish and bat eighth Saturday.

Smith went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Thursday's 5-2 win over the Padres.

Smith continues to see the ball well, as he's posted six multi-hit efforts in his last 11 games. The catcher supplied an insurance run with his solo shot in the eighth inning Thursday, which was his fifth homer in September. He's up to 24 on the year, one shy of his career high, while adding 86 RBI, 66 runs scored, a stolen base, 25 doubles, three triples and a .265/.349/.475 slash line through 133 contests.

Smith went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a triple during Saturday's 6-2 victory over St. Louis.

Smith opened the scoring with a solo home run off St. Louis starter Jordan Montgomery in the first inning before adding his third triple of the season in the third. The multi-hit game was the 27-year-old's third in his last four games and he's batting 7-for-16 with a home run and two triples during the current hot streak. Smith's .257 average across 19 September contests represents one of his lowest marks of any month this season, but his .529 slugging is his second-best thanks to half of his 18 hits going for extra bases.

Smith is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Diamondbacks, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Smith will sit for the third time in the past five games, and he may continue to receive more rest down the stretch with the Dodgers holding a 9.5-game lead for the best record in the National League. Austin Barnes will start behind the plate and bat seventh Wednesday.

Smith is not in the lineup for the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Diamondbacks.

There was a chance Smith would start both games Tuesday had the Dodgers deployed him as the designated hitter in one of them, but with little to play for they will limit their starting catcher to just one start. Austin Barnes will work behind the plate in the first game of the twin bill.

Smith is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Giants, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Smith will take a seat for the series finale after a stretch of eight consecutive starts during which he went 7-for-32 (.219 average) with three extra-base hits and four walks. Austin Barnes will replace Smith behind the plate.

Smith went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and a walk in Wednesday's loss to Arizona.

A number of the Dodgers' regular starters sat out the contest, but Smith started at DH and slotted into the No. 3 spot in the order. He boomed a 465-foot solo homer in the fourth inning for Los Angeles' first run, and Trayce Thompson followed with his own long ball to tie the score. Smith is up to 22 homers and a career-high 85 RBI through 513 plate appearances this season. He trails Cal Raleigh by one homer for the lead in that category among big-league backstops.

Smith isn't in the lineup Wednesday against the Giants, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Smith went 0-for-4 during Tuesday's win over San Francisco and will head to the bench for the second time in the last three games. Austin Barnes is taking over behind the dish and batting ninth.

Smith is not in Monday's lineup against the Giants, Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA reports.

Smith is hitting .248/.333/.468 with seven home runs, 21 runs, 33 RBI and one steal in 37 games in the second half. Austin Barnes will start behind the dish and hit ninth.

Smith went 1-for-3 with a solo home run, an additional run and two walks in a 9-4 win against the Padres on Sunday.

Smith ignited a five-run fourth inning with a solo shot to center off San Diego starter Mike Clevinger and added walks in the fifth and seventh, scoring following the latter. He's batted 3-for-8 with two homers, a double and two walks across his last two contests after going hitless during his previous four. Smith is slashing .264/.353/.475 with 21 home runs, 58 runs and a career-high 80 RBI through 114 games.

Smith went 2-for-5 with a three-run home run, a double and four total RBI in a 12-1 win against the Padres on Saturday.

Smith gave the Dodgers a 3-0 lead with his run-scoring double in the third inning, and he landed the finishing blow with his three-run shot to center field in the sixth. The big performance snapped a four-game mini-slump during which the backstop went 0-for-11. Smith leads MLB catchers with 79 RBI on the campaign, and his 20 homers are third at the position behind Willson Contreras and Cal Raleigh.

Smith is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Mets, according to Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA.

Smith hit a two-run home run in Monday's game, but manager Dave Roberts decided to hold him out Tuesday for the second time in three days. Austin Barnes will start behind the plate in Smith's place.

Smith is out of the lineup for Sunday's game in Miami, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Austin Barnes will check in behind the dish while Smith rests after catching in both of the Dodgers' last two games. Smith has remained one of baseball's most productive offensive catchers thus far in August, batting .304 on the month with three home runs, 20 RBI, 14 runs and a stolen base in 20 games.

Smith isn't starting Wednesday against the Brewers, Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA reports.

Smith started the last six games and slashed .250/.308/.417 with a homer, a walk, eight RBI and three runs across that span. Austin Barnes will start behind the dish and bat ninth.

Smith went 3-for-5 with a double, three RBI and a run scored in Sunday's 10-3 win over the Marlins.

Smith hit an RBI single in the first, plated another run with a ground rule double in the fourth and added another RBI single in the eighth. He's logged at least one RBI in nine of his last 12 games, going 14-for-45 (.311) with 17 RBI and 10 runs scored in that span. The catcher's productive run has him up to .274/.360/.479 slash line with 18 home runs, 73 RBI, 53 runs scored, 21 doubles and a stolen base through 103 contests.

Smith went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run and a walk in a 7-0 win over Miami on Saturday.

Smith hit out of the cleanup spot as the Dodgers' DH in the contest while Austin Barnes started behind the plate. The decision to get Smith's bat into the lineup paid off quickly when he put the Dodgers on the board with a three-run blast to left field in the first inning. Smith is up to 18 homers on the campaign, and his 70 RBI leads all big-league catchers.

Smith isn't starting Wednesday against the Brewers, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Smith is getting a day off after he went 0-for-7 with an RBI and a walk over the last two games. Austin Barnes is starting behind the plate and batting ninth.

Smith is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Royals.

Smith went 2-for-4 with a home run, three runs and a walk in Saturday's contest, but he will be held out Sunday with the Dodgers playing a day game following a night game. Tony Wolters will replace Smith behind the plate.

Smith went 3-for-5 with a double, a run and two RBI in a 10-3 win over the Twins on Tuesday.

Smith was one of four Dodgers with multiple hits in the contest, and he was the only batter with three base knocks. His first-inning double plated the game's first run; he also knocked in the final run of the contest with an eighth-inning single. Smith has three multi-hit games over his past four contests and is slashing .400/.440/.644 with two homers and 14 RBI in 11 contests since July 28.

Smith went 2-for-2 with a solo home run, two runs, three RBI and a stolen base in Thursday's 8-3 win against San Diego.

Smith opened the scoring with a solo home run in the second inning, tacked on an RBI single in the third, was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored in the fifth and brought home a run with a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning. The 27-year-old has assembled a tidy nine-game hitting streak, during which he's batted 15-for-36 with two home runs and four doubles while the theft was his first of the campaign. Smith's .273/.362/.477 slash line is second to Alejandro Kirk among backstops while his 16 home runs and 59 RBI lead all catchers.

Smith is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Giants, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Austin Barnes will check in behind the plate while Smith receives a maintenance day. Smith started at catcher or designated hitter in each of the Dodgers' last nine games, going 9-for-38 (.237 average) with a home run, eight RBI and four runs over that stretch.

Smith went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in a 5-4 win over the Rockies on Friday.

Smith's long ball off Chad Kuhl in the thin air of Coors Field gives him 15 total home runs on the season, the most of any catcher. Smith is slashing a quality .262/.357/.466 over 305 at-bats with 52 RBI. If Smith continues to play well down the stretch, the 27-year-old could flirt with his career-high home run total of 25 from last season.

Smith went 2-for-5 with a double, a run and three RBI in Thursday's 13-0 rout of the Rockies.

Smith played his part in a big offensive game for Los Angeles, knocking in a run with a second-inning double and plating two more with a single in the fourth. The backstop had been struggling coming into the contest, going 1-for-25 over his previous seven games. Smith hasn't homered in over two weeks, but he is still tied for the lead among MLB catchers with 14 long balls on the campaign.

Smith is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Giants, Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA reports.

Smith started the first three games out of the All-Star break and will take a seat for the series finale Sunday afternoon. Austin Barnes will work behind the plate and form a familiar battery with lefty Clayton Kershaw.

Smith went 4-for-4 with a triple, a double, a walk, one RBI and three runs scored in Friday's 9-1 win over the Angels.

On a night where Clayton Kershaw was perfect for seven innings, Smith nearly had his own piece of history. With the Dodgers far ahead, Smith got his triple in the eighth inning and didn't get a chance to go for a home run to complete a cycle. It was still arguably his best game of the year as he got on base five times and extended his hitting streak to eight games, during which he's batted .452 (14-for-31). For the season, the 27-year-old owns a strong .276/.368/.485 slash line with 14 homers, 47 RBI, 37 runs scored, 13 doubles and a triple in 315 plate appearances.

Smith went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and a walk in Wednesday's win over the Cardinals.

The Dodgers trailed by six runs through six innings before Smith set off a late-game comeback with his two-run blast to center field in the seventh. The long ball extended his on-base streak to eight games, during which he's slashing .296/.424/.444 with seven RBI. Smith leads all major-league catchers with 14 homers on the season, and he is tied for first at the position with 45 RBI.

Smith is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rockies, Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA reports.

Smith started the past seven games and will receive a maintenance day for Wednesday's series finale versus Colorado. Austin Barnes will take over behind the plate and bat ninth.

Smith went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Saturday's 7-2 win over the Padres.

Six of Smith's 13 homers this year have come in his last 15 games. During that span, he's hitting .302 (19-for-63) while adding 12 RBI and seven runs. The catcher has maintained a large share of playing time by regularly serving as the designated hitter when he isn't behind the dish. He's up to a .260/.345/.472 slash line with 38 RBI, 31 runs scored and 10 doubles through 264 plate appearances this year.

Smith went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's 8-4 win against Colorado.

Smith swatted one of three Dodgers long balls in the contest, smashing a 429-foot, two-run shot in the fifth inning. The long ball was his 12th of the campaign, moving him into second place in that category among big-league catchers. Smith has enjoyed a strong June, slashing .304/.350/.587 with seven homers, 14 RBI and 10 runs over 23 games.

Smith is not in Tuesday's lineup against the Rockies, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Smith is hitting .299/.347/.563 with six home runs in 22 games this month. Austin Barnes will start behind the dish and hit ninth.

Smith went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's loss to Atlanta.

The backstop tied the score with his eighth-inning solo blast to left field, but Atlanta took the lead for good in the bottom of the frame. Smith has gone deep three times in his past five games to push his total to 11 homers on the campaign. Though his .260/.347/.462 season slash line isn't eye-popping, Smith ranks in the top 10 percent leaguewide in both xBA (.301) and xSLG (.587), per Statcast.

Smith went 1-for-5 with a solo home run Thursday in a 10-5 victory versus Cincinnati.

Smith hit one of five Dodgers homers in the contest, going deep to left field in the seventh inning. The long ball was the 10th of the season for Smith, which is tied for third among big-league catchers. Smith is in the midst of a five-game hitting streak, during which he is slashing .409/.417/.727 with two homers, four RBI and three runs.

Smith went 3-for-5 with a run and an RBI in Wednesday's 8-4 win against Cincinnati.

Smith started behind the plate and slotted into the third spot in the batting order. He produced the Dodgers' first run with a single in the third inning and scored on a sacrifice fly by Justin Turner in the fifth. Smith has tallied multiple hits in each of his past three contests, going 7-for-12 with a home run and three RBI over that span. He's back in the lineup for Thursday's early game against the Reds, working as the designated hitter while Austin Barnes takes over at catcher.

Smith went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional RBI during Tuesday's 8-2 win at Cincinnati.

Smith started the scoring with a solo home run during the opening frame, and he also delivered a sacrifice fly during the eighth to bring home Los Angeles' final run of the day. The 27-year-old had five home runs through his first 41 contests of the season, but he's found his power stroke of late with four long balls in his past 13 games.

Smith was added to the lineup for Saturday's game against the Guardians, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

The 27-year-old was initially slated to get a day off Saturday, but he'll serve as the designated hitter and bat third after Mookie Betts (rib) was scratched from the lineup for a second consecutive game. Smith slashed .268/.318/.537 with three home runs, two doubles, six RBI and five runs over the last 10 games.

Smith isn't starting Saturday's game against Cleveland, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Smith will get a breather after he went 1-for-12 with a three-run homer and a walk over the last three games. Austin Barnes is starting behind the plate and batting ninth.

Smith went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run Wednesday in a 4-1 victory against the Angels.

Smith provided all the runs that the Dodgers would need with his first-inning, three-run shot off Reid Detmers. The long ball was the backstop's eighth of the season and third over his past nine games. Smith is slashing .306/.359/.611 and has added two doubles, six RBI and five runs over the nine-game stretch.

Smith went 3-for-5 with a run in a loss to San Francisco on Saturday.

Smith was the only player in the contest to collect three base knocks, and he scored the Dodgers' first run of the game in the eighth inning. The catcher extended his hitting streak to seven games with the performance. During the streak, Smith is slashing .370/.393/.630 with two homers, three RBI and four runs.

Smith went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's victory against the White Sox.

Smith took Johnny Cueto deep for a two-run shot in the first inning. The homer was his seventh of the year and his second in the last three games. He later added a single and notched his first multi-hit effort since May 26. Overall, Smith has struggled to hit consistently this season, producing a .235/.343/.409 slash line over 149 at-bats in 44 games.

Smith went 1-for-5 with a solo home run Sunday in a loss to the Mets.

Smith started a ninth-inning Dodgers rally with a solo homer to right field, and Los Angeles notched another run in the frame to send the game into extra innings. The long ball was the sixth of the season for the backstop and just his third hit over his past nine games. During that stretch, Smith is batting .103 with two runs and three RBI along with a 5:6 BB:K.

Smith is not in Saturday's lineup against the Mets.

He is 1-for-23 with a home run, five walks and five strikeouts over his last seven games. Austin Barnes will start behind the dish and hit eighth.

Smith is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Pirates.

Smith will get a breather after he hit .130 with a home run, four RBI and two runs over the last six games. Austin Barnes will start behind the plate and bat seventh.

Smith went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Sunday's 3-1 victory against Arizona.

The backstop had arguably the most impressive at-bat of the contest in the second inning, working the count full before fouling off six straight pitches and concluding with his fifth long ball of the campaign. Smith ranks second among catchers leaguewide with 24 RBI this season, and he has posted a .246/.354/.410 slash line along with a 20:23 BB:K over 144 plate appearances.

Smith isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Nationals, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Smith has recorded hits in his last six games, and he's hit .261 with two homers, a double, four runs and three RBI during that time. However, Austin Barnes will take over behind the plate and bat ninth Wednesday.

Smith is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Phillies.

Smith will get some maintenance after he caught each of the Dodgers' last three games while going 3-for-11 with a home run, a double, three walks and two runs during that stretch. Austin Barnes replaces Smith behind the dish in the series finale in Philadelphia.

Smith went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and a walk in Saturday's 7-4 win over the Phillies.

The Dodgers trailed by one run entering the sixth inning before Smith cranked a solo shot to right field to tie the score. The long ball was his second during his modest four-game hitting streak. Smith has gone 4-for-15 during the stretch with three walks and three runs in addition to the pair of solo homers.

Smith is out of the lineup for Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader versus Arizona, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Smith went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run during the matinee, and it's not a surprise he won't be starting both ends of the twin bill. Austin Barnes will take over behind the plate and bat eighth.

Smith (pectoral) will bat cleanup and serve as the designated hitter Saturday against the Phillies, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Smith hit the bench Friday due to a minor pectoral issue, with reports at the time indicating that he'd return as the designated hitter Saturday. That's indeed the case, with Austin Barnes set for another start behind the plate, but Smith is reportedly already penciled in as the catcher for the Dodgers' next three games.

Smith is managing a pectoral issue but will return to the lineup Saturday against the Phillies, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

The pectoral problem will send Smith to the bench Friday, but the issue doesn't seem to be a major one. He'll get one more day off from catching, as he's expected to be the designated hitter Saturday, but he's penciled in as the Dodgers' catcher for the team's next three games.

Smith will sit Friday against the Phillies, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Smith sits after going 3-for-4 with a walk and three RBI in Friday's series opener. Austin Barnes will take over behind the plate.

Smith went 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, a run and three RBI in Thursday's loss to the Phillies.

Smith was a big part of a Dodgers comeback that ultimately fell short, doubling in two runs in the sixth inning and driving home another with a single in the eighth. The three-hit performance was the first for the backstop this season, and this was the fourth time he has driven in multiple runs in a contest. Smith is slashing .260/.365/.397 with two homers, 16 RBI, 13 runs and an 11:15 K:BB across 85 plate appearances on the campaign.

Smith (pectoral) is starting Wednesday against the Pirates.

Smith was held out of Tuesday's lineup due to a minor pectoral injury, but he'll start behind the dish and bat third a day later. Over his last five games, he's gone 3-for-18 with three runs, two RBI and three walks.

Manager Dave Roberts said Smith is being held out of the lineup Tuesday against the Pirates due to a right pectoral injury, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Roberts noted that the Dodgers are just exercised extra caution with Smith, who will give way to Austin Barnes at catcher for the second straight game. The Dodgers are optimistic that Smith will be able to return to the lineup for Wednesday's series finale in Pittsburgh or Thursday's series opener against the Phillies.

Smith is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Pirates, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports.

Considering that Smith is the Dodgers' clear No. 1 catcher and is now out of the lineup for the second game in a row, he's most likely dealing with an unreported injury or illness. Manager Dave Roberts should provide more clarity on the situation later Tuesday, but Austin Barnes will pick up another start in place of Smith.

Smith will sit Monday against the Pirates, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Smith's 115 wRC+, the product of a .231/.342/.369 slash line, is good for fourth among catchers with at least 70 plate appearances this season, but the Dodgers have avoided overworking him. His 18 starts behind the plate merely tie him for 11th among all backstops. He'll get a rest Monday, with Austin Barnes taking over behind the plate.

Smith isn't starting the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Cubs, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Smith started in the last three games and went 2-for-10 with two RBI, a run, two walks and three strikeouts. Austin Barnes will take over behind the dish and bat eighth in Saturday's matinee.

Smith will sit Saturday against the Tigers, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

For the first time this year, Smith will be on the bench for two out of three games. He's hit the ball well as usual thus far this season, slashing .255/.364/.447 with a pair of homers. Austin Barnes will get the start behind the plate.

Smith is not starting Wednesday versus the Diamondbacks, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Smith started each of the last two games at catcher, going 3-for-7 with a double, homer and four RBI, but he'll take a seat Wednesday. Austin Barnes will start behind the plate and bat ninth as the Dodgers finish their series against the Diamondbacks.

Smith went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Monday's 4-0 win over the Diamondbacks.

Smith produced the lone long ball of the contest, taking Tyler Gilbert deep to left field in the eighth inning for his second homer of the campaign. The backstop finished with his second multi-hit effort of the season and first since April 14. Smith had been struggling coming into the contest, going just 1-for-10 over his previous four games.

Smith is not in the lineup for Sunday's game at San Diego, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Smith started the past three games and will receive a day off in the series finale. Austin Barnes will catch for Clayton Kershaw on Sunday.

Smith is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against Atlanta, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Smith started the past two games and will receive the day off for Tuesday's contest. Austin Barnes will receive another start behind the plate for Los Angeles in his place.

Smith isn't starting Saturday's game against Cincinnati, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Smith started in each of the last two games and went 3-for-8 with a homer, four RBI and a strikeout. Austin Barnes will start behind the dish and bat ninth.

Smith went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run and an additional RBI in Thursday's 9-3 win over the Reds.

Smith drove in a run with an infield single in the first inning, and he got a little help with his three-run homer in the seventh. The ball hit off the top of the outfield wall and bounced off the back of Jake Fraley's glove, careening over the fence for a home run. The long ball was Smith's first this season and doubled his RBI total from three to six. The backstop is slashing .267/.353/.533 through 17 plate appearances.

Smith is not in the lineup for Wednesday's series finale against the Twins.

Smith was in the lineup for each of the Dodgers' last two games, going 1-for-8 with two runs and two RBI, but he'll get Wednesday off. Austin Barnes will start in his place behind the plate and bat ninth in the contest.

The Dodgers said there was nothing to Smith's scratch from Saturday's lineup and instead there was simply a mistake with the first lineup released, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Fantasy managers can breathe a sigh of relief, as it seems like the Dodgers just wanted to get Austin Barnes involved to keep him fresh. We should expect Smith back in the lineup for Sunday's series finale in Colorado.

Smith was scratched from the lineup for Saturday's game against the Rockies for undisclosed reasons.

It's unclear if Smith is dealing with an injury or illness or if the Dodgers have simply decided to lighten his workload following an abbreviated spring training. Austin Barnes will take over behind the plate and would step into a starting role if Smith needs to miss time.

Smith finished Cactus League play hitting only .179, but four of his five hits went for extra bases, and he tallied two homers along with four RBI.

Smith began last season in a projected timeshare with Austin Barnes, but he eventually captured primary catcher duties with a standout campaign, and he's expected to log the bulk of the playing time behind the plate along with occasional DH duties in 2022. The 27-year-old has largely been drafted as a top-three catcher in fantasy drafts this season, and his combination of power and on-base skills justifies that expectation.

Smith went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer, a double, a walk and a strikeout in Tuesday's 7-2 win over the Giants in Game 4 of the NLDS.

Smith was one of six Dodgers to record multiple hits in Tuesday's victory, and he displayed plenty of power. The catcher has logged hits in each of the first four games in the NLDS and has gone 6-for-15 with two home runs, two doubles, three runs and three RBI during that time.

Smith isn't starting Friday's game against Milwaukee, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Smith had started each of the last three games, and he went 1-for-11 with a run, an RBI and a walk. Austin Barnes will start behind the dish and bat eighth.

Smith will sit Sunday against Arizona, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Smith sits after starting five of the last six games. Austin Barnes takes over behind the plate, catching Julio Urias.

Smith is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rockies.

Smith has swung a very hot bat lately, posting .323/.434/.677 slash line with seven homers over his last 20 games. Austin Barnes takes over behind the plate Thursday and will catch Max Scherzer.

Smith went 1-for-4 with a solo home run Sunday in an 8-5 win over the Reds.

Smith's solo shot to left field in the second inning accounted for the first run of the game. It was his 25th homer of the campaign, which leads all National League catchers and ranks third among MLB backstops. Smith has complemented the power production with a solid .270/.380/.521 slash line, 72 RBI and three stolen bases.

Smith is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against Cincinnati, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Smith hits the bench after starting six of the last seven games behind the plate. Austin Barnes enters the lineup in his place, catching Max Scherzer.

Smith went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and an additional RBI in an 8-4 win against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday.

Batting in the six spot, Smith took Diamondbacks reliever Jake Faria 418-feet deep to left center in the sixth inning and tacked on a sacrifice fly in the seventh. The solid outing continues a strong September for the young backstop, who's slashing .320/.417/.536 in nine games this month.

Smith will not start Monday's game against the Diamondbacks, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

With Clayton Kershaw returning from a forearm injury Monday, expect Smith's off days to follow a consistent pattern going forward. Kershaw has thrown to personal catcher Austin Barnes in 16 of his 18 starts so far this season and will do so again this time around.

Smith isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Cardinals, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Smith started each of the last two games and went 4-for-7 with a homer, two runs and two RBI. Austin Barnes will start behind the dish and bat eighth.

Smith went 4-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in a 7-2 win over St. Louis on Tuesday.

The backstop logged his first four-hit game of the campaign and drilled his fifth homer in his past 10 games. Smith has cemented his place among the top catchers in the game this season, slashing .273/.381/.518 across 431 plate appearances. He leads National League backstops with 23 homers, 68 RBI, 61 runs and 52 walks.

Smith will sit Monday against the Cardinals, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.

Smith has just two hits in his last four games, though that follows a five-game stretch in which he went 9-for-18 with four homers. He'll get a rest for Monday's afternoon game, with Austin Barnes taking over behind the plate.

Smith is out of the lineup Wednesday against Atlanta, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Smith will head to the bench for a breather after starting the past two games behind the plate. Austin Barnes will catch for Max Scherzer in Wednesday's series finale.

Smith went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a strikeout in Monday's 5-3 win over Atlanta.

Smith smacked a solo home run to left in the second inning and added a single in the eighth. The two hits give the backstop his third multi-hit outing in his last four games, a stretch that's seen Smith go 8-for-15 three home runs.

Smith is not in the lineup Sunday against the Rockies, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.

Smith went 4-for-5 with a home run, two walks and three RBI through the first two games of the series, and he'll take a day off in the finale. Austin Barnes will work behind the plate in his place Sunday.

Smith went 3-for-3 with a solo home run Friday in a loss to the Rockies.

Smith tallied half of the Dodgers' six hits in the contest, and his third-inning solo homer gave the team its first run of the game. The catcher has gone deep in each of his past three contests, going 6-for-12 with three RBI and a stolen base over that span. He leads National League backstops with 21 homers on the season.

Smith went 2-for-6 with a solo home run, a walk, stolen base and two runs scored in Wednesday's 5-3 extra-innings win over the Padres.

The Dodgers were unable to get anything going against Blake Snell over the first seven frames but Smith came through in the eighth with a solo blast to tie the game up at one apiece. The 26-year-old later reached in the 15th inning and would score off a base knock by Trea Turner. Smith is one of three catchers in baseball to have reached 20 home runs this season and is now slashing .259/.368/.497 with 37 extra-base hits, 61 RBI, 57 runs scored, three steals and 47:81 BB:K over 399 plate appearances.

Smith went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Wednesday's win over San Diego.

The backstop staked the Dodgers to an early lead with a solo shot to center field in the second inning. The blast was his 19th of the season, tops among catchers in the National League. Smith is slashing .271/.393/.604 with nine homers and 28 RBI in 29 games since the All-Star break.

Smith isn't starting Friday against the Mets, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Smith will get a breather after he went 1-for-10 with a double, a run, a walk and three strikeouts across the last three games. Austin Barnes will start behind the dish and bat eighth.

Smith isn't starting Monday's game against the Pirates, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Smith was dominant during the Dodgers' weekend series against the Mets, as he went 4-for-12 with three homers, seven RBI and three runs during the three-game span. Austin Barnes will take his place at catcher and bat eighth.

Smith went 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and a walk in Sunday's 14-4 win over the Mets.

Smith blasted a solo home run in the first inning off Carlos Carrasco. The catcher homered for the third day in a row. In addition, he added an eighth-inning single that drove in a pair of runs. On the season, he is slashing .266/.377/.502 with 18 long balls, 59 RBI and 53 runs scored in 368 plate appearances.

Smith went 1-for-4 with a solo homer in Saturday's 2-1 win over the Dodgers.

The Dodgers' catcher played spoiler on Saturday, ending Taijuan Walker's no-hit bid with a solo shot in the seventh inning that tied the game at one. Add this to Smith's game-winning homer the day previous at Citi Field and the Louisville product is putting together quite the series.

Smith went 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in Friday's 6-5 extra-inning win over the Mets.

After bringing home a run with a sac fly in the third inning, Smith played hero by turning around a Jeurys Familia sinker for a two-run shot to lead off the top of the 10th. The 26-year-old backstop has wielded a big stick since the All-Star break, slashing .299/.429/.627 over his last 21 games with six of his 16 homers on the season.

Smith will sit Thursday against the Phillies, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Smith will get a rest after starting four straight games behind the plate. Austin Barnes will take over in his absence.

Smith is not starting Friday against the Angels, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Smith will get two days to rest his legs with the club having an off day Thursday. Austin Barnes will catch David Price and bat eighth.

Smith went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run and a walk in Wednesday's 7-5 win over the Astros.

Houston tagged Los Angeles starter Max Scherzer for a run in the top of the first inning, but the Dodgers came storming back with four runs of their own in the bottom of the frame. The big blow was Smith's three-run shot to right field. The long ball was his 15th of the season, tying the career-high mark he set during his rookie 2019 campaign. Among National League catchers, only Willson Contreras has smashed more homers in 2021.

Smith is not in the lineup Sunday against the Diamondbacks, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.

Smith went 3-for-9 with a walk and two runs through the first two games of the series and will take a seat for the finale. Austin Barnes will start behind the plate in his place.

Smith went 3-for-5 with a run as the Dodgers defeated the Diamondbacks, 8-3 on Saturday.

Smith singled in the first, third and seventh, scoring on the later occasion, to post his fourth three-hit game of the campaign. The backstop is now 5-for-13 over his last three games and his .847 OPS ranks fifth among catchers.

Smith will sit Thursday against the Giants, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.

Smith hits the bench after starting six of the last seven games behind the plate. Austin Barnes takes over in his absence.

Smith went 2-for-4 with a triple, two RBI and a run scored in Wednesday's 8-0 win over the Giants.

Smith singled his first time up and then later roped a triple into right-center that would end up scoring two. Smith also crossed home himself as part of a four-run third inning for the Dodgers. The 26-year-old has picked up his play lately, slashing .314/.415/.771 with four homers, 16 RBI, seven runs scored, a steal and 4:8 BB:K over his last 10 games.

Smith will sit Saturday against the Rockies.

Smith gets a rest after starting three straight games behind the plate. Austin Barnes takes over in his absence.

Smith went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Thursday's loss against the Giants.

Smith has been one of the best offensive catchers in all of baseball this season and his power displays have been noticeable of late, as he has three homers over his last five contests. The backstop is hitting .261 with a .844 OPS through 80 games this season and should continue to handle most of the catching duties in one of the most complete lineups in the National League.

Smith drilled a walkoff three-run home run in his only at-bat against the Giants on Tuesday.

The backstop got a scheduled breather Tuesday, as Austin Barnes started the contest behind the plate for Los Angeles. However, Smith was summoned to pinch hit with two runners on base and the Dodgers down a run in the ninth inning. After looking at a strike on Tyler Rogers' first pitch, Smith sent the following offering 419 feet over the left-field wall to give the Dodgers the big win. Smith has been one of the best offensive catchers in baseball this season with a .264/.369/.475 slash line, 12 home runs and 42 RBI. Over his past four games, he has gone 6-for-12 with two homers and 10 RBI.

Smith is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Giants, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Smith started the past two contests and will head to the bench for Tuesday's game. Austin Barnes will work behind the plate in his absence.

Smith went 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and a walk Sunday against the Rockies.

Smith blasted his 11th homer of the year in the eighth inning, a two-run shot off Carlos Estevez that gave the Dodgers a 4-3 lead. He also added a pair of singles and a walk and has reached base seven times (five hits, two walks) in his last two contests. The 26-year-old catcher is slashing .265/.368/.466 in 285 plate appearances on the year and has even chipped in a pair of stolen bases.

Smith will sit Saturday against the Rockies, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.

Smith remains on pace to blow past manager Dave Roberts' preseason effort of 90 starts, as his 60 games started in the team's first 93 contests put him on pace for 105 by the end of the year. His .256/.361/.449 slash line means the Dodgers are unlikely to cut his playing time any time soon, but he'll get a brief rest Saturday, with Austin Barnes starting behind the plate.

Smith went 2-for-4 with a double, a walk, four RBI and a run Friday in the Dodgers' 10-4 win over the Rockies.

The four RBI established a new season high for Smith, who had driven in four runs combined over his final nine games prior to the All-Star break. Smith hit out of the cleanup spot Friday, and his presence in the heart of a loaded Los Angeles lineup should continue to make him one of the most valuable fantasy catchers during the second half.

Smith will sit Saturday against the Diamondbacks, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Smith's bat has gone cold over his last 12 games, as he's hit just .171/.279/.257 over that stretch. He'll sit in favor of Austin Barnes on Saturday.

Smith is not in the starting lineup Wednesday against Miami, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

Smith will hand the catching duties off to Austin Barnes after going 2-for-8 with an RBI and run scored while starting the first two games of the series.

Smith is on the bench for Sunday's game against the Nationals, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.

Saturday night's rain delay led to a long night behind the plate for Smith, so it's understandable that he sits out Sunday's morning game. Smith has struggled a bit offensively of late, hitting .220 in his last 15 games. Austin Barnes will catch and bat eighth Sunday.

Smith is not starting Friday's game against the Nationals, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports.

The 26-year-old sits after three consecutive 1-for-3 performances. Smith has hit just .231 in his last 14 games, but he has smashed three homers in that span. Austin Barnes starts at catcher for the second of four games against Washington.

Smith went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in a 3-2 win over the Giants on Monday.

Smith blasted his fourth inning homer off Giants' starter Anthony DeSclafani to extend Los Angeles' lead to 3-1 and provide valuable insurance in a game where runs were difficult to come by. The long ball snapped an 0-for-8 mini-slump for the backstop who's now slashing .261/.363/.478.

Smith is out of the lineup Sunday against the Cubs, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.

Smith is 3-for-20 over his past seven games and will head to the bench Sunday. Austin Barnes will catch Sunday for Clayton Kershaw and bat eighth.

Smith is not in the lineup Thursday at Cincinnati, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Smith started the past three games and will receive the day off after going 3-for-12 with a solo homer and an additional RBI. Austin Barnes will work behind the plate Thursday in his place.