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The Dodgers are expected to place catcher Will Smith on the injured list as stiffness in his neck continues to linger, per the Los Angeles Times. Manager Dave Roberts confirmed Wednesday that Smith sat out for a fourth consecutive game, and at this point an IL stint looks all but inevitable. This is a step beyond what we were hearing earlier in the week — the conversation has shifted from “could” to “expected.”

Smith has been one of the most durable and productive catchers in baseball since taking over as the Dodgers’ everyday backstop in 2020. He’s a switch-hitter with genuine pop — the kind of catcher who can change a game from the seven or eight hole, or, as we’ve seen more often lately, from higher up in the lineup. Neck issues for a catcher are never something you brush off. The position demands constant crouching, twisting, and snapping your head to track pitches and runners. Four games missed already tells you this isn’t a minor inconvenience. If the Dodgers are being cautious here, that’s the right call. You don’t mess around with a neck, especially for a guy who spends his workday in a crouch.

Smith’s 2026 numbers have been solid — not eye-popping, but steady — and losing him for even a minimum IL stint of 10 days would leave a gap in the middle of the lineup. The Dodgers have Austin Barnes as the veteran backup, and he’s reliable behind the plate, but the offensive drop-off is significant. Barnes is a defense-first option at this point in his career. If the IL stint stretches longer, we could see the front office explore other internal options or potentially look outside the organization for short-term help.

Diego Cartaya is the name that always comes up in these conversations. The 23-year-old catching prospect has been working his way through the upper minors and profiles as the long-term successor to Smith behind the plate. Whether the Dodgers would accelerate his timeline for what might be a brief IL stint is another question entirely — they’ve been deliberate with his development, and rushing him for a 10-day gap wouldn’t make a lot of sense unless the injury turns out to be more serious than we’re being told.

For now, the Dodgers are managing this the way they should. Smith’s health matters more than any single week in June. But I’ll be watching the transaction wire closely — once the IL move becomes official, we’ll know whether this is truly a short-term precaution or something the team is more worried about than they’re letting on. The fact that Roberts is telegraphing it publicly suggests the move is coming soon, likely before this series wraps up. We need Smith right for the long haul, not grinding through something that could get worse.

Source(s): Staff (Los Angeles Times) | First reported: June 10, 2026 10:11 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers