The Dodgers walked off the Orioles on Friday night in front of a loud home crowd. Good vibes everywhere. Then Dave Roberts walked into the postgame press conference and essentially told everyone to pump the brakes on Will Smith coming back anytime soon.
Smith is still dealing with that neck issue that’s been nagging him. And according to Roberts, it’s not getting better fast enough.
“It’s going to take more time,” Roberts said. “Had a scan recently, and the results were sort of fine. Nothing really bad, but I think he’s going to get some type of shot to kind of minimize the sensation. He feels OK, not great.”
So the scan didn’t show anything torn or broken. That’s the good news. But Smith still feels off enough that the team is turning to an injection to calm things down. That’s not the kind of step you take when a guy is a day or two away.
Roberts didn’t mince words about the timeline either. He didn’t say Smith is day-to-day. He didn’t hint at a rehab assignment next week. He said it’s going to take more time. Full stop.
What the Dodgers lose without Smith
This isn’t just about a guy hitting .260 in the middle of the order. Smith calls games. He handles one of the best pitching staffs in baseball. He blocks balls in the dirt and controls the running game. Those are things that don’t show up on a stat sheet but absolutely show up in the win column.
Dalton Rushing got the start Friday and delivered a huge tying single. The kid can hit. But he’s still learning the nuances of the position at the big league level. The Dodgers have depth, sure. But depth behind the plate is different than depth in the outfield. One wrong read on a pitch call against a good team and the game flips.
For now, the plan is simple. Get the shot. Let it work. Wait until Smith tells them he’s ready. The Dodgers are 49-27 and rolling. They don’t need to force anything. But every day Smith isn’t out there is a day the pitching staff is working with a different voice behind the dish.
And that matters more than most people realize.
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