Smith makes case for All-Star nod with walk-off hit

LOS ANGELES – Hours before the game, Mookie Betts and Trea Turner were named All-Star Game starters for the Dodgers. On Sunday, the Dodgers will undoubtedly see a few more of their stars selected to the Midsummer Classic, which will be held at Dodger Stadium for the first time in 42 years.

On multiple occasions, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has said catcher Will Smith deserves to be named to his first All-Star Game. Roberts hasn’t been shy about making it known he’ll go to bat for his young catcher.

Since becoming a regular in 2020, Smith has become one of the best hitting catchers in baseball. He’s also one of the most clutch. Smith made his case once again, delivering his fifth career walk-off hit, an RBI single to score automatic runner Turner in the 10th inning of the Dodgers’ 4-3 win over the Cubs on Friday night at Dodger Stadium.

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It was the second time in three nights that the Dodgers won in walk-off fashion.

“It’s his heartbeat. There’s no panic,” said Roberts of Smith. “There’s been many, many situations where we need a baserunner, need a big hit, and Will comes through. Just like tonight. Just really love watching him grow into an All-Star player. Hopefully that’s validated this year.”

Tyler Anderson got the start for the Dodgers. The left-hander was effective once again. Anderson cruised through the first four frames, but struggled in the fifth and sixth innings. He was able to limit the damage, however, allowing just three runs over seven innings. Anderson has completed seven or more innings four times this season and now holds the team lead in innings with 91 1/3.

That helped the Dodgers buy time for a potential comeback after being held silent through five innings by Cubs starter Keegan Thompson. In the sixth, the Dodgers caught a break as Seiya Suzuki dropped a routine fly ball. Jake Lamb helped cut the deficit with a solo homer in the seventh, his first as a Dodger.

Then in the ninth, Mookie Betts tied the game with a sacrifice fly.

In the 10th, Evan Phillips continued his dominance on the mound, retiring all three batters he faced. That all set the stage for Smith. He delivered, just as he usually does.

“I thought their guy threw really well,” Smith said. “But we didn’t give up, stayed in the ballgame and got it done.”

Following the game, teammates such as Gavin Lux and Justin Turner rushed to social media to vouch for Smith as an All-Star. The Cubs’ Willson Contreras was named the starter on Friday. The second catcher spot will likely be decided between Smith and Atlanta’s Travis d’Arnaud.

Smith is tied with Conteras for the lead in homers among NL catchers with 13. His .802 OPS is also slightly higher than d’Arnaud’s .795 clip. There’s also a possibility that three catchers are selected.

“[Smith] definitely goes unnoticed,” Roberts said. “Just the consistency of his play. He sort of just kind of puts his head down and doesn’t get the fanfare that other players do. I don’t think he’d have it any other way. But I do know that other teams and managers know; they don’t like when he’s in the batter’s box. And I hear it all the time from other coaches.”

While they continue to wait for All-Star caliber results from a handful of their players, the Dodgers have thrived during a difficult stretch of 20 games in 20 days. The Dodgers are 8-1 with two games to go in the 11-game homestand, their longest of the season.

“That was great,” Anderson said. “I just feel like that was a really good, scrappy team win. … We didn’t really give anything away and did what we had to do to get a win.”