For the first time since September 3, the Los Angeles Dodgers will have Will Smith in their lineup as they face off against the Colorado Rockies.

Initially sidelined early in a Wednesday night showdown against the Pittsburgh Pirates after suffering a right-hand contusion, Smith has watched the Dodgers struggle to replace his All-Star efforts on both sides of the plate, with season-long backup Dalton Rushing landing on IL with an injury of his own after ricocheting a foul ball off his shin, and the duo of Ben Rortvedt and Chuckie Robinson turning in mixed results in reserve duty.

Fortunately, the Dodgers' decision to keep Smith off the IL now looks like a stroke of genius, as he will be back on the field in just seven days, giving a team looking to rip off a win streak a little more firepower heading into the final stretch of the season.

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Slotting in as the Dodgers' fourth batter behind LA's MVP trio of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman, Smith will look to return to his hitting ways against the Rockies, pushing once more for the NL batting title. While that might not be the easiest task around, as he trails Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trae Turner and Milwaukee Brewers right fielder Sal Frelick with a .296 batting average, Smith will have every opportunity to pad his stats against a Rockies team that is among the worst teams in baseball, sans their unusual stadium advantage in Denver.

Will Smith's return further galvanizes a Dodgers team that has been looking for consistency seemingly all summer long? Or will the team still need a few more returns before they can really fire on all cylinders, like Tommy Edman, who is expected back in the next few days? While only time will tell, a sweep against the Rockies would be a good moral victory for a team in need of actual victories, too.