LOS ANGELES — After catching the first two games of the opening series, Will Smith wasn’t even supposed to be in the lineup on Saturday, which was his 31st birthday and his bobblehead giveaway at Dodger Stadium.

“I didn’t have him in there tonight. He really wanted to be in there on his bobblehead night, and said he felt good,” manager Dave Roberts said. “It proved to be the right decision.”

“He’s always really good about letting us talk about stuff,” Smith said of Roberts. “I just kind of dropped the bobblehead card on him.”

Trailing by a run late, Smith fell behind 0-2 to Juan Morillo, but on the seventh pitch of the at-bat, the man born on 3/28 put the Dodgers up 3-2 in the 8th inning, in what proved to be the winning margin for the Dodgers, who are now 3-0 to open the season.

“We talked about a lot of our guys, but man, when you’re talking about big hits, clutch, Will is right at the top of the list as well,” Roberts said. “There’s just no panic in his at-bat.”

“I was sitting in here watching. Just came up clutch. His birthday and his bobblehead day” said starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow, who completed six innings Saturday. “What a magical night.”

“Everyone on our team I feel like could hit third in the lineup. It’s just All-Stars up and down,” said Freddie Freeman, who doubled home the Dodgers’ first run in the sixth inning, cutting the deficit to 2-1 at the time. “I think everybody wants that at-bat, and that’s the key to our lineup.”

“I don’t know [about being a clutch player], but I can definitely stay calm in those situations, not try to do too much, and stick to my approach that I’m looking for,” Smith said. “And whatever happens, happens.”

The bobblehead giveaway on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium commemorated Smith’s 11th-inning home run in Game 7 of the 2025 World Series, the first extra-inning home run in Game 7 of a Fall Classic that proved to be the game-winner.

Along with the bobblehead, Smith’s wife Cara and his two young daughters Charlotte and Layton were part of pregame festivities. His two daughters adorably delivered ceremonial first pitches to Dalton Rushing (since Smith was warming up starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow). Then Cara said “It’s time for Dodger baseball,” followed by Charlotte saying the same.

“I thought Char crushed ‘It’s Time For Dodger Baseball.’ A little late, but she did really well,” Smith quipped.

After Smith started all three games against the Diamondbacks, the plan is for him to sit in Monday’s series opener against the Cleveland Guardians. Coupled with Sunday’s schedule off day, that’s potentially two full days off in a row for Smith before catching the final two games against Cleveland. The Dodgers are off on Thursday as well, when they will travel to Washington D.C. to play the Nationals.