The Los Angeles Dodgers are battling the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, with the reigning World Series champions looking to get back at the host team.
The Bucs defeated their visitors in the series opener on Tuesday via a score of 9-7. However, the Dodgers have found themselves behind the eight ball early on, as Pittsburgh has built a 2-0 lead through two innings.
Making the night tougher for the Dodgers was the apparent injury suffered by All-Star catcher Will Smith.
The Dodgers announced that Smith will not be able to finish the contest as he's left with an upper-body issue.
“Will Smith left the game with a right hand contusion,” the Dodgers wrote in a social media post on X, formerly Twitter.
The 30-year-old Smith appeared to hurt his hand when he got hit by a pitch in the second inning while catching for Dodgers starter Emmet Sheehan. With Smith done for the rest of the evening, the Dodgers have opted to send in Dalton Rushing as a replacement.
The Dodgers can afford to be extra-cautious in their approach with Smith. That being said, they are just three games ahead of the San Diego Padres for the top spot in the National League West division. It remains to be seen whether Smith will miss at least a game because of his injury, but it's not a stretch to assume that he'll sit out the series finale against the Pirates this Thursday, either.
Smith has one of the most dependable bats on the Dodgers roster. So far in the 2025 MLB regular season, he is batting .296/.405/.497 with 17 home runs and 61 RBIs through 109 games.
Smith is always a tough out for opposing pitchers, as his patience and ability to make contact are qualities the Dodgers have been benefiting from all season long. Among qualified catchers in the big leagues, Smith is third overall with 64 walks, while his OBP is tops in the majors in his position.
