The Dodgers' lineup has had a Will Smith-shaped hole in it since early June, and now there's an official runway on when it gets filled back in. MLB Trade Rumors confirmed Smith will stay on the injured list until at least mid-August, turning what looked like a short absence into a monthslong ordeal for the reigning champs.
Will Smith To Remain On Dodgers' IL Until At Least Mid-August t.co/3LuCAHxDa7
This isn't a fresh injury, it's a stubborn one. Smith was placed on the IL back on June 11 with neck inflammation and hasn't appeared in a game since June 5. The Dodgers had hoped a normal rest-and-rehab cycle would get him back before the All-Star break, but the neck simply hasn't cooperated, and Smith was recently shut down from baseball activity entirely to let it calm down before any throwing or hitting progressions restart.
That's the part that should worry LA. Mid-August is described as the earliest plausible return if everything goes right from here, meaning any hiccup in the ramp-up pushes this into September, right as the Dodgers are trying to lock down playoff positioning. For a team that leaned on Smith as its everyday catcher and one of its steadiest bats, an open-ended timeline is a lot scarier than a hard number.
The timing stings extra with the trade deadline bearing down. A three-time All-Star behind the plate going dark for two-plus months is exactly the kind of thing that pushes a front office to get aggressive on the trade market for a stopgap catcher, and it's a gut punch for anyone who had Smith on a fantasy roster expecting a normal second-half workload.
For now it's a waiting game. The Dodgers need Smith's neck to actually respond to treatment before anyone can put a real date on the calendar, and until that happens, mid-August is more of a hope than a promise.