Dodgers' Will Smith Provides Exciting Injury Update Ahead of NLDS

Aug 31, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (16) celebrates as he rounds the bases on a walk-off home run in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith gave a promising injury update about the hairline fracture which has kept him out of the postseason thus far.

The hairline fracture, which is in Smith's right hand, came about after a foul ball struck him against the Pittsburgh Pirates Sept. 3. He returned to the lineup six days later, however reaggravated the injury and landed on the injured list shortly after.

"Yeah, it's feeling good. It's really close to 100 percent," Smith said. "Looking forward to being out there playing and helping the team win... I feel like I could go nine innings right now and be good."

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Smith's return is huge for the Dodgers, as he had been one of the Dodgers best regular season performers prior to his injury. The All-Star had a .296 average in the regular season, crushing 17 homers and driving in 61 runs through 110 games.

"He’s close. With Will, we just haven’t had the chance to do the buildup as far as the rehab, the catching five innings, the six innings, the seven, let alone the nine innings. And he hasn’t caught in four weeks," manager Dave Roberts said. "I mean, you’re going to have to -- I’m trying to find a jumping off point that would kind of play the middle, the slice. So there’s a chance that he can come into tonight’s game and kind of get his feet wet a little bit.But, yeah, he’s close, and I just don’t know when. But he’s very close, yes."

With Smith at nearly "100 percent," he stated most of the work is catching back up to speed having not thrown or swung a bat for a few weeks.

"Yeah, pretty much," Smith said. "It's definitely still rehabbing on the hand but definitely making sure the shoulder is not getting banged up, the hips, the legs, all that, just kind of getting my feet back under me.

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"We're trying to be smart about it. It's a long month, but also there's some urgency to win now, obviously. So just trying to kind of weigh both of those and go from there."

While Smith catches up, the Dodgers will keep Ben Rortvedt in as their starting catcher, though that's not such a bad thing with his recent results at the plate. Rortvedt tore up the Cincinnati Reds during the Wild Card series, batting .500 across the two games while scoring twice and recording an RBI.

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They'll head into their series against the Philadelphia Phillies without Smith, as Rortvedt is slated to start Game 1, but will hope he can make a full recovery by the end of the series. He is available off the bench for the opening game of the NLDS, which begins at 3:38 p.m. PT.

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