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Will Smith, Dalton Rushing, and Shohei Ohtani all hit significant milestones in their respective recoveries on Friday, per DodgerBlue.com. Smith and Rushing took batting practice, while Ohtani threw a bullpen session — three pieces of genuinely encouraging news arriving on the same day.

Smith has been on the injured list since June 11, and his absence has been felt behind the plate all summer. When he’s right, he’s one of the best offensive catchers in the game — a two-time All-Star who hit 20-plus home runs in three consecutive seasons from 2022 to 2024. The fact that he’s progressed to taking BP is a real step forward. We’ve been running Hunter Feduccia and Ben Rortvedt behind the plate, and while they’ve held things together, getting Smith’s bat back in the lineup would be a massive upgrade in the second half.

Rushing has been working his way back as well, and seeing him take swings in BP is encouraging for a young player the organization has big plans for. He debuted last year and showed flashes of the kind of power-and-patience profile that makes front offices drool. Getting him healthy and contributing down the stretch — even in a limited role — would give Dave Roberts another left-handed option and more roster flexibility as we push toward October.

Ohtani throwing a bullpen session is the next logical step after the organization already confirmed he’d make rehab starts in MLB games rather than heading to the minors. We’ve been tracking every stage of his return to the mound, and each one matters. A bullpen session means he’s progressing through his throwing program on schedule. The Dodgers’ rotation depth has been tested this season — Tarik Skubal is reportedly on the way, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been sharp — but adding Ohtani the pitcher back to this staff would make it historically stacked.

Three key players all moving forward on the same day. That’s the kind of news that makes August feel a lot more optimistic. The Dodgers have been grinding through injuries for months, and the finish line for several of these recoveries is starting to come into view. If Smith can get back behind the plate, Rushing can get at-bats, and Ohtani can build toward a return to the rotation, this roster is going to look very different — and very dangerous — come September. I’d keep expectations measured on exact timelines, but the trajectory on all three is clearly pointed in the right direction.

Source(s): Staff (DodgerBlue.com) | First reported: August 15, 2026 4:39 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers