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Dodgers' Will Smith: Goes deep in first rehab game
Rotowire
Smith (neck) went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run Tuesday in a minor-league rehab appearance with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Smith logged his first game action since landing on the IL in early June due to a neck injury. The All-Star backstop went hitless in his first two plate appearances Tuesday before slugging a two-run homer to left field in the fifth inning. Smith caught five frames before exiting, hitting the target that was set for him going into the contest. He's expected to play a handful of additional games in the minors before potentially returning to the big-league club at the start of September.
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Dodgers' Will Smith: Catching five innings
Rotowire
Smith (neck) is scheduled to catch five innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday night, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
It will be Smith's first game action since he went down in early June due to neck inflammation. The Dodgers will ease him into action, working him up to catching a complete game. The goal is to have the 31-year-old ready by Sept. 1, which is when MLB rosters expand.
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Dodgers' Will Smith: Rehab assignment on tap
Rotowire
Manager Dave Roberts said Sunday that Smith (neck) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
The veteran backstop recently progressed to taking live batting practice and has now been cleared for game action. Smith has been shelved since early June due to neck inflammation, and he could be ready to rejoin the Dodgers when MLB rosters expand Sept. 1, which would give him time to play up to seven games with Oklahoma City.
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Dodgers' Will Smith: Takes live batting practice Friday
Rotowire
Smith (neck) participated in live batting practice Friday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
It's an encouraging sign in Smith's recovery from a neck injury, given that Friday was the first time he faced live pitching since June. There's optimism that the veteran catcher will be cleared to embark on a rehab assignment next week, putting him on track to be back with the Dodgers before the end of the regular season.
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Dodgers' Will Smith: Tracking toward rehab games next week
Rotowire
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Monday that Smith (neck) will begin a rehab assignment next week if the catcher's workouts go well this week, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports.
Smith has turned a corner in his recovery from a neck injury and is nearly ready to test things out in a game setting. Considering he last played in a game June 5, the catcher will likely need several rehab games before rejoining the Dodgers' active roster. Smith collected a .720 OPS with six home runs in 52 contests before getting hurt.
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Dodgers' Will Smith: Takes batting practice Friday
Rotowire
Smith (neck) took part in on-field batting practice Friday, Sonja Chen of MLB.com reports.
The BP session marks a significant milestone for Smith, who has been on the shelf for over two months due to a neck injury. The veteran backstop resumed baseball activities in late July and appears to be moving closer to kicking off a minor-league rehab assignment. If all goes well for Smith moving forward, he could rejoin the big-league club by the final week of August or first week of September.
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Dodgers' Will Smith: Could take batting practice soon
Rotowire
Smith (neck) could take batting practice at some point this week, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Smith has been stuck on the injured list since June 11 but has been making recent strides in his recovery. Dave Roberts stated Monday that the week ahead will prove to be critical for Smith, who was cleared to resume some baseball activities near the end of July but still needs time to ramp up and then complete a rehab assignment before being activated from the IL.
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Dodgers' Will Smith: Needs 3-to-4 weeks to ramp up
Rotowire
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Saturday that Smith (neck) will need at least 3-to-4 weeks to fully ramp up and complete a rehab assignment before returning from the 60-day injured list, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
Smith landed on the IL on June 11 due to neck inflammation, and after a prolonged shutdown, he's finally feeling pain-free and has been cleared to resume baseball activity. Based on the timeline laid out by Roberts, Smith isn't expected to return to the Dodgers lineup until at least late August, barring any setbacks that delay his activation. For now, Dalton Rushing will continue to serve as the Dodgers' primary catcher, while Eliezer Alfonzo provides depth.
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Dodgers' Will Smith: Pain-free after resuming activities
Rotowire
Smith (neck) is pain-free after resuming baseball activities, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Smith has been sidelined for over a month while tending to a lingering neck issue, but he has now taken a significant step towards returning to action. The catcher will increase the intensity of his workouts ahead of a potential minor-league rehab assignment in the near future. With the trade deadline approaching fast, a healthy Smith would likely erase the need for the Dodgers to aggressively pursue a backstop.
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Dodgers' Will Smith: Shifts to 60-day IL
Rotowire
The Dodgers transferred Smith (neck) to the 60-day injured list Tuesday.
Smith isn't expected to return to the Dodgers' lineup until at least mid-August, so his move to the 60-day IL won't have any impact on his return timeline. The move will, however, free up a spot on the 40-man roster for Charlie Barnes, who was selected from Triple-A Oklahoma City in a corresponding move.
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Dodgers' Will Smith: Neck issues persist
Rotowire
Manager Dave Roberts said Friday that Smith's neck continued to bother him as he attempted to ramp up his activity, so the Dodgers will fully shut him down for a week, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.
The Dodgers still expect Smith to return at some point this season, and although there's still no clear idea of when exactly that might be, Roberts noted that the earliest possible date for the catcher's return likely will be in mid-August. Dalton Rushing will continue to serve as Los Angeles' primary backstop in the meantime.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said recently that while he "certainly" expects Smith (neck) to play again this season, he has "no idea" when it will happen, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Smith has been sidelined for more than a month with a lingering neck issue. He has been hitting and throwing but seems unable to get over the hump with the injury, as there's no timeline for when he will be ready for a rehab assignment. The Dodgers will enter the second half with an 11.5-game lead in the National League West, so they can afford to take their time with Smith.
Manager Dave Roberts said Friday that Smith (neck) began hitting in the cages Thursday and has also begun throwing, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.
Smith has been on the injured list since June 11 with neck inflammation and isn't expected to return before the All-Star break, but his return to hitting and throwing are both good signs that he's finally starting to turn a corner in his recovery. He will almost certainly require a minor-league rehab assignment before rejoining the active roster.
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Dodgers' Will Smith: Likely out through All-Star break
Rotowire
Manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday that Smith (neck) is expected to remain out until after the All-Star break, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Smith has yet to resume baseball activities since landing on the injured list June 11 with neck inflammation. Between his slow progress and the time it will take for him to build up once he's cleared to begin a rehab program, there simply isn't enough time left for him to return before the All-Star break begins July 13. A more definitive timeline may emerge once Smith is cleared to resume activity.
Dodgers' Will Smith: Likely out for start of homestand
Rotowire
Smith (neck) isn't expected to be ready to return from the 10-day injured list when the Dodgers begin a 10-game homestand Thursday to close out their first-half schedule, MLB.com reports.
Smith landed on the injured list June 11 due to neck inflammation and has yet to resume baseball activities since hitting the shelf. The Dodgers could still be leaving the door open for Smith to return at some point later on during the homestand, but unless he's able to start ramping up by the end of the week, the team could be inclined to hold him out through the All-Star break. Dalton Rushing will continue to serve as the Dodgers' primary option behind the dish for however long Smith remains out.
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