Dodgers' Will Smith Won't Return Anytime Soon After Unfortunate Update

The injury updates around Los Angeles Dodgers star catcher Will Smith just keep getting worse.

Smith has been out of the lineup since June 6 with neck inflammation, and was initially expected to miss just one game. Then, he was ultimately placed on the injured list for what was expected to be a minimum stint.

Two weeks later, Smith isn't getting any closer to a return, and won't be back for at least the next week.

"He still hasn't done any baseball activities, so we won't see him in [San Diego or Sacramento]," manager Dave Roberts said on Wednesday.

The Dodgers have six more games on their current road trip, and Smith won't rejoin the team for any of them. The team will then return to Los Angeles on July 2 for a four-game series with the San Diego Padres. It remains to bee seen if he's able to come off the injured list by then.

The fact that he hasn't started baseball activities yet makes it seem like he's at least a few weeks away from a return.

The 2026 season hasn't been kind to Smith, as even before the injury, he struggled at the plate. Overall, he's hit .249 with six home runs and 23 runs batted in, while registering an OPS of .720.

Dodgers Catcher Plan Going Forward

With Smith still out, Dalton Rushing will continue to be the starter for this team. Offensively, Rushing has shown solid progression, even with him cooling off a bit recently.

Overall, he has hit .245 with eight home runs and 22 runs batted in, while posting an OPS of .799.

However, Rushing has seen his own share of problems this season, mainly due to his emotions coming out in games.

Rushing has been involved in multiple incidents with opposing teams. The young catcher plays the game with a lot of competitiveness, and sometimes, it has gotten the better of him.

The Dodgers have been trying to work with Rushing on how to handle himself, but his emotions have continued to come out in different ways. Rushing most recently got into it with Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday night in a moment he later called "embarrassing."

Shohei's had enough of these non-challenges from Rushing. pic.twitter.com/K1uFNycp7t
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 25, 2026

Rushing still has a lot to learn about controlling his emotions in games, while also trusting his teammates. But this is all a learning process for the young player, and the Dodgers have had his back throughout it all.

Behind Rushing, the Dodgers have Chuckie Robinson, a journeyman who has some experience in the big leagues. The team will keep pushing forward until Smith can return, but the hope is that he'll be able to come back sooner rather than later.

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