As the Los Angeles Dodgers gear up for an Opening Day showdown against the Arizona Diamondbacks, one of the subplots fans have kept track of has been the team's catcher situation.
With two former top draft picks, Will Smith and Dalton Rushing, currently on the Opening Day roster, will the Dodgers look to form a true platoon to help get the latter ready for MLB action should he need to play on a full-time basis due to injury? Or will Smith remain the guy like he's been pretty much since he made it to the majors? On Tuesday, Roberts commented on just that, noting that he will continue to use Smith more often than not.
“Will is going to get the lion’s share,” Roberts said via Dodgers Nation. “Dalton needs to play, wants to play. Will is our starting catcher.”
One of the true success stories of the Dodgers' player development system, Smith parlayed his spot as LA's first round pick in the 2016 MLB Draft to a monster 10-year, $140 million contract following his first of three-straight All-Star appearances in 2023. Smith called more innings than any other catcher in MLB history during the World Series in 2025, and at just 30 years old, he has the potential to hold things down for the Dodgers indefinitely.
While Rushing is also a top pick from his own MLB Draft, 2022, his ceiling is the player Smith is now, as there just aren't many catchers who are a better full package than No. 16.
Can the Dodgers find enough innings to help Rushing continue to grow? It's hard to say, but unless he starts playing games at first base, which might be hard since Freddie Freeman wants to play every single game, some difficult decisions may need to be made down the line.
