Dodgers' $5,250,000 catcher Will Smith admits to have been playing with broken ribs - "It took a little longer to figure"
The Los Angeles Dodgers' catcher Will Smith recently admitted to having been playing this season with broken ribs. As shocking as that sounds, the Dodgers left no stone unturned to yet again clinch the NL West division. Earlier this season, the Dodgers' management took the decision to avoid arbitration by extending Will's contract by one year, which stood at a whopping $5,250,000 per year.
The Dodgers mean business after failing to advance to the World Series yet again last season. Amends were made to the roster, and Will (now in his fifth year with the Dodgers) had a huge role to play coming into the batting lineup after the likes of Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts. Will started the season with a flurry, but then his form dipped, and now has claimed to have been playing through the pain of broken ribs.
"Dodgers Will Smith did reveal to AM570LASports that he did play with a broken rib for a couple months after being hit by STL reliever, Jake Woodford on April 30th, but says he's 100% now." - @THEREAL_DV
“Once I was healthy, it was going to be an adjustment because the body is going to reprogram itself to deal with it…It took a little longer to figure it all that I would have liked.” - Will Smith via AM570LASports
Smith powered through the broken ribs to keep performing at a scintillating level, which propelled the Dodgers into the postseason. Will refused to go on IL, and now that he is fully fit, the Los Angeles Dodgers would eye the crown with a hard-hitting and healthy roster in the postseason.
Will Smith can propel the Dodgers to glory
The 28-year-old Will Smith has developed into one of the best hitters in the majors and is now regarded as one of baseball's top catchers. He now ranks 11th with an on-base plus slugging percentage of .890.
"Come for the Will Smith homer, stay for the catch" - Dodgers
Smith has some of the finest strikeout-to-walk ratios in MLB. He has a strikeout rate of just 13.8%, placing him in the 90th percentile of MLB, and a walk rate of 15.4%, placing him in the 97th percentile.12, making him one of the few players to walk more than he strikes out.
"BOOM Will Smith hits a 3-run bomb to straightaway center. Dodgers lead 7-1. All this with 2 outs!" - @micaheljduarte
Smith provides the Dodgers with a unique asset that hardly any other team has, which gives his stats an additional dimension of significance. A player who can take control behind the plate—Smith, by the way, also has a good throwing arm and blocking abilities—and hit like Freddie or Mookie is a major competitive advantage.