Dodgers Announce Will Smith Change Before Padres Game originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Every catcher needs a day off, even when they’re swinging like Los Angeles Dodgers star Will Smith.
Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts sat Smith for Tuesday’s showdown with the rival San Diego Padres. Interestingly, Smith—who entered play hitting .320 with a National League-high .423 on-base percentage—is on the bench for the third time in less than a week.
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Instead, Dalton Rushing is catching reliever Lou Trivino, who is Tuesday’s opener.
Smith went 1-for-4 with three RBI in Monday’s 8-7, 10-inning victory over the Padres. He started the Dodgers’ scoring with a first-inning sac fly off Nick Pivetta and added a two-run homer in the third.
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will SmithKen Blaze-Imagn Images
It’s been another stellar season for Smith, who is on pace for career highs in several offensive categories. Smith entered Tuesday with a .925 OPS and a 2.5 bWAR, numbers that would put him squarely in MVP territory if he didn’t play on the same team as Shohei Ohtani.
Speaking of Ohtani, the three-time AL MVP is one of only two Dodgers with a higher bWAR than Smith. Ohtani is at 3.1 bWAR, with center fielder Andy Pages not far behind at 2.8.
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Smith and shortstop Mookie Betts are tied for third. Betts, however, will have an opportunity to raise his bWAR on Tuesday night; the perennial All-Star is batting second against San Diego’s Dylan Cease.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.