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The Dodgers are giving catcher Will Smith some scheduled rest days, hoping the time off helps him snap out of a prolonged May slump, per DodgerBlue.com. Smith entered Saturday’s action hitting just .167 (7-for-42) with one home run and three RBI over his last 12 games — a significant drop-off from what was a strong start to his eighth season in Los Angeles. He was held out of Saturday’s lineup against the Brewers as part of that plan.

Smith’s cold stretch is frustrating precisely because of how good he looked early on. The three-time All-Star has been one of the most productive catchers in baseball since taking over as the everyday guy behind the plate in 2021. His combination of switch-hitting power, pitch framing, and game-calling ability makes him one of the more complete catchers in the sport. When Smith is locked in, our lineup has a different feel — there’s no easy out in the middle of the order, and pitchers can’t just work around the big bats ahead of him. But a .167 clip over a dozen games is the kind of skid that can quietly drag down an entire offense, especially from a position where production is already hard to find around the league.

I think the approach here is the right one. Smith isn’t the type of hitter whose mechanics fall apart — he’s typically very disciplined, works counts well, and drives the ball to all fields. Slumps like this for him tend to be more about fatigue and timing than anything fundamentally broken. Catching is the most physically demanding position on the field, and the grind of squatting for nine innings every day through a long stretch of games can quietly sap bat speed and reaction time. A couple of days off the field — not just out of the lineup but truly off his feet — can do wonders for a guy like Smith.

The Dodgers have the roster depth to absorb a day or two without Smith behind the plate. That’s one of the luxuries of the way this roster is built — we can rest key guys without feeling like we’re punting games. The staff clearly believes this is a temporary dip rather than something that requires a mechanical overhaul or a trip to the injured list, and Smith’s track record supports that view. He’s been too consistent for too long to panic over a rough couple of weeks.

For us, the bigger picture is straightforward: we need Smith right for the summer and beyond, not just for one series in late May. If a couple of reset days get his timing back and put him on track for a strong June, that’s a trade-off worth making every single time. I expect him back in the lineup early next week looking more like himself.

Source(s): Staff (DodgerBlue.com) | First reported: May 24, 2026 5:38 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers