Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith busted out of his postseason slump in a big way on Sunday, hitting a two-run homer to break open Game 6 of the NLCS. Smith got a hold of a Phil Maton fastball and sent it over the center field wall in the third inning to put the Dodgers up 6-1. The veteran backstop has had a tough go in these playoffs, going 5-for-35 (.143 AVG) with one homer and four RBI coming into this one. That will all be forgotten now, though, as Smith made his mark on the series-clinching game and will look to ride this momentum in a blockbuster World Series matchup against the New York Yankees.
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (hand) was lifted from Game 5 of the NLCS after taking a foul ball off his hand. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports that the backstop was taken for X-rays, but the tests were negative. As a result, DFS players should expect the primary catcher to be behind the dish this evening as the Dodgers hope to clinch the series victory over the New York Mets. During the postseason, the 29-year-old has posted an underwhelming .143/.268/.229 line with one home run and four RBI. He will face a difficult matchup this evening against Mets southpaw Sean Manaea, who has held a strong 2.65 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP across 17 innings in October.
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith collected his first hit of the 2024 postseason in Wednesday's 8-0 win over the Padres, a 432-foot two-run home run in the third inning that gave the Dodgers some breathing room as they went up 5-0 in the game. It would be his only hit of the contest, however, as the 29-year-old finished 1-for-5 and is now 1-for-13 through the first four games of the series. Smith will face Yu Darvish in Game 5, having gone 6-for-31 (.194) off of the veteran in his career, although that does include one home run.
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith is out of the starting lineup for the Dodgers in their Saturday night tilt against the Colorado Rockies. Hunter Feduccia will be taking Smith's spot in his third start of the year, hitting ninth. Smith has gotten a few days off in September and, with the Dodgers having locked up a postseason spot while having a four game lead in the NL West, rest appears to be the priority for the 29-year-old. There is also a platoon advantage for the Dodgers here as Feduccia, a lefty, will face off against Rockies' right-hander Cal Quantrill. Smith has generally been a much better hitter against lefties in 2024. Fantasy managers that need help at the catcher position to finish the season may want to consider adding Feduccia, who is 3-8 with two walks in his short time in the majors. Otherwise expect Smith to be back in the lineup on Sunday against Rockies scheduled starter Antonio Senzatela.
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith is out of the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the Chicago Cubs. This looks like a rest game for Smith after he went hitless with two strikeouts during Monday's game. In his place, Austin Barnes will do the catching and bat ninth versus left-hander Shota Imanaga. Barnes is a fine backup catcher with a .262 batting average over 49 games this season. However, he doesn't offer much pop with the bat and has a tough matchup here, so fantasy managers should look elsewhere for a streaming option on Tuesday.
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith will take a seat in Sunday's series finale as the Dodgers look to clinch a series victory against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Smith has started behind the plate in each of the past two games and will continue to follow a similar pattern where he takes a seat on the third day. As a result, veteran Austin Barnes will slot in behind the plate and bat in the nine-hole. Over his past two games, Smith has tallied three total hits, including his 17th long ball of the campaign. Fantasy managers should expect Smith to rejoin the starting nine on Monday as the Dodgers play the final game of the four-game set. Barnes is best to leave off your DFS lineup this afternoon as he sits with a modest .250 AVG, 10 RBI, and one home run this summer.
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith will be taking a seat in Sunday's series finale as the Dodgers play the final game of a three-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays. Instead, Hunter Feduccia will get the starting nod, as the typical backup catcher Austin Barnes (toe), is currently on the 10-day injured list. Smith has been in a bit of a slump this month, holding an overall .193 average but has been getting back on track of late, as he was riding a three-game hitting streak entering Sunday. Fantasy managers should expect Smith to rejoin the starting nine on Tuesday as the Dodgers host the Baltimore Orioles. Feduccia could be a sneaky play in DFS this afternoon as he will face Tampa Bay spot starter Jacob Lopez, who carries a hefty 8.44 ERA.
Will Smith Homers, Tallies Up Three Hits On Tuesday
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith went 3-for-4 with a double, a solo shot, and two runs scored on Tuesday as his team beat the Milwaukee Brewers 7-2. Smith has been on a bit of a cold streak as of late, slashing .140/.258/.228 in his last 15 games. However, the two-time All-Star has remained one of the best-hitting catchers in baseball this season and will look to build off this performance for more consistent play down the stretch. Overall, Smith is slashing .251/.331/.444 with 16 home runs, 62 RBI, and 57 runs over 420 plate appearances.
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith will be getting a routine off day on Sunday as the Dodgers look to clinch a series victory over the Oakland Athletics. Smith has started the past four games holding a .176 AVG with no extra-base hits. Smith should be expected to return to the starting nine on Monday evening as the Dodgers face the high-flying Phillies. Instead, Austin Barnes will be behind the dish and bat in the nine-hole. Barnes has been riding a strong .417/.447/.528 line across his past 14 starts. Barnes is worth considering in DFS formats this afternoon as he will face Oakland right-hander Osvaldo Bido, who allowed seven earned runs and six hits in his previous start.
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith is not in the team's starting lineup for Thursday's series finale against the visiting division-rival San Francisco Giants. Austin Barnes will do the catching for the Blue and will hit eighth in the batting order against Giants right-hander Logan Webb. It's a good day for a break for Smith, who went hitless with two walks in 10 at-bats in the first three games of the series at Chavez Ravine. The 29-year-old All-Star backstop has struggled a bit in July, batting .232 (13-for-56) but does have four home runs, two doubles, six RBI and nine walks in 15 games. Smith remains one of the better offensive-minded fantasy catchers in the game and has 15 homers, 56 RBI and 50 runs scored on the year in 320 at-bats. Barnes has actually hit .270 (24-for-89) on the year but should be avoided in DFS with just one homer and seven RBI in 2024.
Will Smith
• C
•
Dodgers
