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Will Smith is now possibly headed to the injured list as his neck stiffness continues to keep him out of the lineup, per staff at Dodger Blue. Smith sat out for the final two games of the Freeway Series against the Angels and was again absent from Tuesday’s series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates — that’s three straight missed starts now. The Dodgers initially expected Smith to return to the lineup on Sunday, but that optimism has faded, and the IL is now a real possibility.

This is a significant escalation from where things stood just a couple days ago. When the neck stiffness first surfaced, the tone around the club was that it was a minor issue — the kind of thing a day or two off would fix. That clearly hasn’t been the case. Smith has been one of the most durable catchers in baseball over the past few seasons, and the fact that this is dragging into a third game suggests it’s more than just routine soreness. He’s been a cornerstone of our lineup, and any extended absence changes the complexion of the offense considerably.

Smith has established himself as one of the premier offensive catchers in the game. Since becoming the Dodgers’ everyday backstop, he’s consistently produced at a level that puts him in the conversation with the best at the position league-wide. His ability to hit for power from both sides of the plate while handling a pitching staff as talented and deep as ours makes him genuinely difficult to replace. Last season he was an All-Star, and he’s been building on that in 2026 with another productive first couple months at the plate.

The shift from day-to-day optimism to IL consideration is the part that should grab your attention. Neck injuries for catchers are particularly tricky — the position demands constant strain on the neck between receiving, throwing, and the general crouch mechanics. If the Dodgers do place Smith on the IL, a 10-day stint would be the minimum, and given how cautious the organization tends to be with key players, I wouldn’t be surprised if they take the full time even if he starts feeling better quickly.

If Smith does hit the IL, the catching duties would likely fall to the backup on the roster, and the Dodgers might need to look at a call-up or roster shuffle to make sure they have adequate depth behind the plate. We’ve seen this team navigate injuries to star players before — it’s practically a Dodgers tradition at this point — but losing your starting catcher is always a tough one because the position touches everything. The pitching staff has its rhythms with Smith, and disrupting that has a ripple effect beyond just the bat you’re losing from the lineup. I’ll be watching this closely over the next day or two. If he goes on the IL, it becomes a much bigger story. If he’s back in the lineup by Wednesday or Thursday, we can all exhale. But right now, the arrow is pointing in the wrong direction.

Source(s): Staff (Dodger Blue) | First reported: June 10, 2026 1:02 PM UTC

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