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Will Smith is officially set to begin a rehab assignment, per DodgerBlue.com, marking the next concrete step in his return from injury. Smith recently faced live pitching — including at-bats against Shohei Ohtani during a live BP session at Dodger Stadium — and apparently passed that test with flying colors. The rehab assignment puts him on track for a return to the major league roster before September.

Smith has been one of the Dodgers’ most important hitters since establishing himself as the everyday catcher. He’s a switch-hitter with legitimate power from both sides of the plate, and his pitch-framing and game-calling abilities behind the dish have steadily improved year over year. His absence has been felt in the lineup — the Dodgers have relied on Hunter Feduccia, Dalton Rushing, and Ben Rortvedt to carry the catching load, and while they’ve held things together, none of them replicate what Smith brings as a complete package.

The fact that Smith faced Ohtani in live BP and is now moving to a rehab assignment is significant. That’s not a casual throwing session — facing a pitcher of Ohtani’s caliber means the Dodgers feel Smith is ready for real at-bats. The rehab assignment will give him game reps to shake off the rust, get his timing back, and build up the physical endurance of catching full games again. These things matter more for catchers than any other position; the squat-and-throw demands are unique.

Getting Smith back in the lineup is a massive boost for this team. He slots right into the middle of the order and immediately makes the lineup deeper and more dangerous. With Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Kyle Tucker, Teoscar Hernández, and Max Muncy already in the fold, adding Smith’s bat gives the Dodgers one of the most complete lineups in baseball. And having a catcher who knows the pitching staff — who has caught guys like Yoshinobu Yamamoto and knows the tendencies — is something you can’t put a number on.

We’ve been waiting on this one for a while. The timeline is looking good, and if the rehab stint goes smoothly, Smith could be back in the Dodger Stadium dugout within the week. That’s exactly what this team needs heading into the final push.

Source(s): Staff (DodgerBlue.com) | First reported: August 24, 2026 4:34 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers