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The Dodgers have provided an updated timeline for Will Smith‘s return from the neck injury that landed him on the injured list, per Katie Woo at Heavy.com. Smith recently received a cortisone injection to address the issue, and the club now has a clearer picture of when they expect to have their starting catcher back in the lineup.

Smith has been one of the most consistent offensive catchers in baseball since establishing himself as the Dodgers’ everyday backstop. The switch-hitter has posted above-average numbers at a position where offense is perpetually hard to find, and his absence has been felt both behind the plate and in the middle of the order. Neck injuries for catchers are particularly tricky — the position demands constant crouching, head movement to track pitches, and the whiplash risk of foul tips. A cortisone injection suggests the team is managing inflammation, and the fact that they’re now putting a more defined timeline on his return is encouraging. It means the shot appears to be doing its job.

Smith’s defensive value sometimes gets overlooked because of his bat, but our pitching staff clearly works differently without him. He’s built strong relationships with the rotation over the years, and his game-calling and framing have quietly been among the better marks at the position in the National League. Losing that continuity — especially during a stretch where the Dodgers are already navigating a lengthy injury list — compounds the problem.

For the Dodgers, getting Smith back is one of several dominos that need to fall over the coming weeks. The team has been grinding through an extended period without key contributors, and while the depth has held up reasonably well, there’s a clear difference between plugging holes and having your actual guys out there. Smith slots back into a lineup that immediately gets deeper and more dangerous, particularly from the right side against left-handed pitching. The new timeline gives us something concrete to track, and I’ll update this as we learn more about when exactly he’s expected to rejoin the club.

Source(s): Katie Woo (Heavy.com) | First reported: June 21, 2026 7:21 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers