Dodgers

Dodgers: Dave Roberts Says Will Smith’s Issues Have Been Fixed

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters on Friday that Will Smith’s recent struggles are due to mechanical issues within his stance and swing. He also said that they have since been fixed by hitting coach Robert Van Scoyoc, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.

This is a great development out of Friday’s media scrum. Smith, one of the most promising of the Dodgers’ rookies in terms of playoff equity, has seen a downturn in his output recently. Since August 23, Smith is slashing just .152/.222/.242 with one home run and three runs batted in. Prior to that date, Smith was slashing an elite .304/.377/.783 with 12 home runs and 31 runs batted in.

There have been struggles, but it is fantastic to hear that Smith has been ‘fixed’ by the Dodgers’ contingent of hitting gurus.

Simply put, the Dodgers desperately need him to hit as they will not receive any substantial offensive output from any of the other catchers on the 40-man roster. Russell Martin, the current backup, plays because of the veteran presence on the roster and to occasionally spell Will Smith. Austin Barnes, who was called up before Friday’s game, will also factor into the backstop mix down the stretch.

Collectively, Smith is slashing .273/.348/.661 with a 152 wRC+ and 13 home runs across 39 games in his rookie campaign.

Back to top button