Will Smith Dealing With Injury, Out of Dodgers Lineup vs Cubs

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith is dealing with a minor back injury, leading to his exclusion from Saturday's lineup against the Chicago Cubs.

Manager Dave Roberts said Smith's back "is a little tight," which is why Dalton Rushing is catching and batting sixth. This is Rushing's third time catching in the last five games.

For what it's worth, Roberts said he expects Smith to be back in the lineup on Sunday.

That, of course, depends on how he feels after waking up Sunday morning.

Dave Roberts said Will Smith has been dealing with some back tightness, which is why he's not in the lineup today. Smith was going to play two of three this weekend anyway, so he got the day off today instead and is expected to be back in there tomorrow.
— Sonja Chen (@SonjaMChen) April 25, 2026

Smith is off to another solid start this season, hitting .266 across 24 games with three home runs, 14 runs batted in and an OPS of .729. He's played a pivotal role as the team's No. 3 hitter in the lineup since Mookie Betts went on the injured list in early April.

The Dodgers' lineup is full of left-handed hitters at the top in Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Kyle Tucker and Max Muncy. Thus, Smith's bat is especially valuable in breaking up the run of lefties.

Smith has been named an All-Star in three consecutive seasons, and earned down-ballot MVP votes in 2025 despite appearing in only 110 games due to multiple injuries. Fortunately, this injury doesn't appear to be anything serious, with Roberts noting it was "nothing of concern."

Dodgers Can Be Careful With Will Smith Thanks to Dalton Rushing Emergence

Nevertheless, the Dodgers will be cautious with Smith, and can be especially careful this year with the emergence of Rushing.

Rushing, 25, has fully broken out (and made plenty of headlines) in his second year in the majors. After struggling across 53 games last year, hitting just .204 with four home runs, 24 RBIs and an OPS of .582, Rushing has been one of baseball's best hitters this season.

Across 10 games, Rushing is slashing .419/.486/1.161 with seven home runs, 14 RBIs and an OPS of 1.647. He's allowed the Dodgers to give Smith plenty of days off to keep him fresh over the course of a long 162-game season.

“He's performing,” Roberts said of Rushing earlier this week. “It's good to see him smile. He's really hard on himself and expects a lot, but, man, he's off to a tremendous start.”

Dalton Rushing with a 2-HR game for the Dodgers starting in the No. 9 spot in the lineup. His updated stats this year:

28 plate appearances
.444 AVG
7 HR
13 RBI
1.760 OPS

The breakout has arrived. pic.twitter.com/ZOXtbcJWrO
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) April 21, 2026

The Dodgers know how valuable it is to have a viable backup catcher, which is a big reason the team is unlikely to trade Rushing this year barring any blockbuster deal. Rushing is a former top prospect of the organization who was known for his bat, and is finally showing it at the major league level.

The Dodgers should have an update on Smith ahead of Sunday's game. If he's in the lineup, it's clear there's nothing to worry about. If Rushing is starting again on Sunday, though, there will be some questions regarding Smith's status moving forward.

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