DODGERS NEWS: DAVE ROBERTS EXPLAINS WHY WILL SMITH HAS BEEN MISSING FROM LINEUP

Will Smith, the Los Angeles Dodgers catcher, has been noticeably absent from the lineup recently. Manager Dave Roberts initially attributed Smith's time off to "load management," but it turns out there's more to the story.

“I just don’t think he’s swinging the bat, certainly like he’s capable of. I think he’s in a little funk,” Roberts said. “There’s some balls that are hit hard. But there’s also some pitches that I feel that when he’s right, he makes a better move.

“He feels good. So it’s not a physical thing. Certainly, with Will, it’s not a mental thing. He’s as mentally tough as they come. So that leads to the mechanical part. So my thought was you could take today and work through some things mechanically. We have a night game, so there’s more time to do that. We have an off day. … It’s a long season. I don’t expect him to be great or perfect all year.”

Smith has been struggling at the plate, hitting just .172 in June. Over his last 10 games, he has managed only three hits in 38 at-bats, and just one hit in his last 16 at-bats. This slump is reminiscent of a similar stretch he experienced last season, although then he was playing through a cracked rib. Currently, Smith insists he isn't injured, just feeling "a little off."

“Yeah, I feel a little off. I think any time you’re not getting hits you do,” Smith said. “But I still feel like I’m hitting the ball, maybe swing-and-miss a little more but that happens. I’m still squaring the ball up for the most part but nothing’s falling. Not getting any of the dink hits that keep you above water.

“It’s just one of those times. That’s baseball. We’re always working on our swings, trying to get better. Just grinding along.”

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Roberts has decided to give Smith some extra time to work on his mechanics. With a few days off in the schedule, Smith has the chance to reset and address his batting issues. The team is hopeful that this break will help him return to form as the season progresses.

2024-06-29T00:03:19Z dg43tfdfdgfd