No Guarantee Will Smith Returns to Dodgers for Postseason, What Does That Mean for LA?

Sep 21, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers injured catcher Will Smith (left) with his right hand in a brace talks with designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) during the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed the Dodgers will be without catcher Will Smith for an extended perod of time.

Smith suffered a bone bruise in his hand against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sept. 3, and had to exit the game. He made his return to the lineup six days later against the Colorado Rockies, however he re-aggravated his injury and needed to move to the injured list.

“Optimistic that he’s going to come back at some point, doubtful it’s the regular season,” Roberts said ahead of Saturday's game against the San Francisco Giants. “Having him available for the postseason, we’re still hopeful.”

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Smith's injury is terrible news for the Dodgers, as he is one of their most capable offensive producers when fit. Smith has a .901 OPS this season, as well as a .296 batting average, both of which are career -highs for the All-Star in a single season.

Who Will Replace Will Smith for the Dodgers?

Dalton Rushing originally came into replace Smith when he got hurt initially, however he quickly found himself on the injured list after fouling a ball directly off his shin. The Dodgers, with no healthy catchers, called up Ben Rortvedt and Chuckie Robinson from Triple-A.

Rortvedt got most of the game time ahead of Robinson, and has run away with the opportunity given to him. Rortvedt is batting .270 with the Dodgers and has nearly doubled his .095 batting average from when he played on the Rays this season.

Rushing returned to the lineup Sept. 16, replacing Robinson, however has been switching off with a flourishing Rortvedt.

While Rortvedt has been producing, there is still a Will Smith sized hole in their lineup, which is bad news for a fairly top-heavy lineup.

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They've still been managing to win games despite Smith's injury, so maybe missing the three-time All-Star sounds worse than it actually is.

The Dodgers will hope Rortvedt and Rushing can continue to serve as serviceable replacements for Smith as he works to come back from the bone bruise. The Dodgers have already locked down a spot in the 2025 postseason, so all that's left to do is last long enough for Smith to make a comeback and give a massive boost to the team.

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