Dodgers catcher Will Smith has a hairline fracture in his proper hand and is uncertain to return earlier than the tip of the common season, based on supervisor Dave Roberts.
The Dodgers are “hopeful” Smith shall be accessible for the postseason, however whether or not he shall be prepared for the very begin of the playoffs — which seemingly shall be Sept. 30 — stays “up within the air,” Roberts mentioned.
Smith, the three-time All-Star catcher who led the Nationwide League in batting common within the first half of the season earlier than slumping by means of August, first acquired damage when a foul ball hit his dangling throwing hand behind the plate on Sept. 3 in Pittsburgh.
After lacking the Dodgers’ subsequent 5 video games, he returned to the beginning lineup on Sept. 9 towards the Colorado Rockies, and doubled in his first at-bat. Nevertheless, the 30-year-old was a late scratch from the lineup the subsequent day after his hand swelled up, and was positioned on the injured record final weekend in San Francisco.
Initially, each an X-ray and an MRI on Smith’s hand got here again clear, which is why the Dodgers allowed him to return to motion as quickly as they did. However his harm lingered and the Dodgers despatched him again for one more MRI on the finish of this previous week.
This time, the scan confirmed what each Roberts and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman described as a “small” fracture.
“It feels like from the medical doctors that it’s so small and in such a small a part of the hand that it didn’t present up initially however did on the following [scan],” Friedman mentioned. “They appear to say [that] is frequent. I haven’t seen it, however I additionally haven’t seen a damaged bone in that space fairly often. It is smart why it was gradual to rebound. I’m glad now we have readability on it. We’re going to do every little thing we will to strengthen and heal and get it again.”
Up to now, the Dodgers have managed with out Smith, who was batting .296 with 17 residence runs and 61 RBIs. Within the 14 video games he has missed since getting damage, the staff is 8-6 and averaging greater than 5 runs per recreation.
A giant purpose why: The emergence of journeyman substitute Ben Rortvedt, a minor-league addition on the commerce deadline who has come to the majors and produced capably as a fill-in for Smith and backup catcher Dalton Speeding (who missed 10 days this month after fouling a ball off his leg).
After becoming a member of the staff as a profession .186 hitter in 4 MLB seasons, Rortvedt has batted .294 in 13 video games with the Dodgers with two doubles and two sacrifice bunts. Dodgers pitchers even have a 2.74 ERA with him behind the plate.
Even with Speeding wholesome once more, Roberts mentioned Rortvedt will seemingly get the “lion’s share” of enjoying time in Smith’s absence.
“The way in which he’s helped lead our pitching workers has been superior,” Friedman mentioned. “He actually has that servant management mentality behind the plate, which has actually ingratiated himself with loads of our pitchers.”
Nonetheless, to be at high type, the Dodgers want Smith in the midst of the batting order.
Friedman mentioned the staff will preserve giving therapy to his hand till “he will get to some extent the place he doesn’t have signs, we’ll re-X-ray.”
“We’re optimistic that it’s going to heal rapidly, however we’re on the mercy of how rapidly that occurs,” Friedman mentioned. “We don’t actually know, however we’re optimistic it’ll be fairly quick.”
Graterol not anticipated again
It’s not a lot of a shock at this level, however the Dodgers aren’t anticipating reliever Brusdar Graterol to return this season.
Graterol has not pitched this 12 months after an offseason shoulder surgical procedure, and his restoration “hasn’t gone as easily as he would really like, as we want,” Friedman mentioned.
“It’s been exhausting to form of ramp up the amount that he would want to get again. My expectation is he won’t be again this 12 months.”
