Do Dodgers have the Majors' best catcher?
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This story was excerpted from Juan Toribio’s Dodgers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
PHOENIX -- When you think of the Dodgers’ roster, it’s understandable to immediately jump to Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. Those are two of the best players in the Majors, and they’ve been so for a long time.
On the pitching side, it’s also easy for your eyes to land on Julio Urías and franchise legend Clayton Kershaw. Urías is the current ace of the Dodgers, and Kershaw’s No. 22 will be hanging at Dodger Stadium as soon as he retires.
Because of the roster’s wide-ranging star power, catcher Will Smith often goes unnoticed. But with the Dodgers giving Smith even more responsibility this season, it’s finally time he gets his recognition as one of the best catchers in baseball. You would also have an argument to call him the best.
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Through seven games this season, Smith has possibly been the Dodgers’ best player. He’s tied with Trayce Thompson for the team lead with three homers and sits atop Los Angeles' RBI leaderboard with 10.
“I think that he’s one of the top three catchers in all of baseball,” said manager Dave Roberts. “He’s a superstar, and it probably makes him uncomfortable. But his ability to post and play both sides of the baseball, hit in the middle of the order -- you don’t find guys like that.”
Part of the reason the Dodgers felt confident in this year’s team is because of the skills Smith possesses at the plate. Losing Trea Turner isn’t easy for any club to withstand, but sliding Smith into the three-hole in the lineup was appealing to L.A.
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In the early part of the season, that gamble has paid off in a big way for the Dodgers. And for Smith, it may be the move that elevates him to stardom and lands him on the National League All-Star team for the first time in his career.
There’s a long way to go until then, but the secret is out now. Smith has all the tools to become the next great catcher in the Dodgers’ storied history.
“I’m feeling pretty good,” Smith said. “It always feels good when you’re swinging at the right pitches and you’re doing something with them; you’re not missing them or fighting them off. But yeah, just trying to keep it going.”