Will Smith Posting A .712 OPS After Friday's Game
Will Smith went 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts in Friday's 6-1 win against the New York Mets. He's now batting .222/.342/.370 with five home runs, 20 runs, and 23 RBI. The power shortage is odd after Smith slugged 48 home runs with a .892 OPS across his first 221 games in the big leagues. However, Statcast is happy with how the backstop has hit the ball, giving him a .517 expected slugging. Smith also continues to bat in the heart of the lineup, so fantasy managers shouldn't stop starting him in all leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Source: MLB.com
Will Smith Sitting On Wednesday
Will Smith is getting the day off on Wednesday when the Dodgers play the final game of a three-game set against the Miami Marlins. The backstop started in each of the first two games of the series and has gone 2-for-9 with a double. As a result, Austin Barnes will get the nod this afternoon behind the dish and will bat in the nine-hole. Fantasy managers should expect Smith to return to the starting nine on Thursday when they begin a series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Through his first 29 games of the season, Smith has posted a strong .309/.398/.479 slash line with three home runs and two stolen bases. He has generated an elite .376 xwOBA with an impressive 15.5 percent barrel rate. Barnes could be worth a look as a value play in DFS facing Miami right-hander Valente Bellozo.
Source: MLB.com
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Source: MLB.com
Tommy Edman, Will Smith Resting Against Marlins
Tommy Edman and catcher Will Smith are both taking a seat for Wednesday's series finale against the visiting Miami Marlins. The hot-hitting Andy Pages is starting in center field and batting fifth, while Austin Barnes is doing the catching and hitting in the nine-hole against Marlins right-hander Cal Quantrill. Enrique Hernandez is at second and is hitting seventh. Pages is among the hottest hitters in baseball right now, as he comes into Wednesday's contest riding a seven-game hitting streak in which he's gone 17-for-29 with three doubles, four home runs, eight RBI, three steals and nine runs scored. Edman has been on the bench for two of the last three games and has gone 3-for-19 in his last six games. It's just a regular rest day for Smith, who is hitting a strong .316 (24-for-76) in the early going with three homers and 17 RBI for the Blue.
Source: 570 LA Sports - David Vassegh
Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Source: 570 LA Sports - David Vassegh
Will Smith Resting On Sunday
Will Smith (rest) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Smith returned from the injured list on Friday, but has gone hitless over the last two games. That being said, the Dodgers have decided to give Smith the day off on Sunday to rest and hopefully get back on track. In his absence, Austin Barnes will do the catching and bat ninth against left-hander Bailey Falter. Fantasy managers can pull Smith from their lineups on Sunday ahead of first pitch.
Source: mlb.com
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Source: mlb.com
Will Smith Back From Injury On Friday
Will Smith (wrist) is back behind the plate to catch right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto and is hitting sixth against the Pittsburgh Pirates and right-hander Paul Skenes for Friday's series opener at Dodger Stadium. Smith injured his left wrist in the loss to the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday and sat out of the series finale on Wednesday, but after an additional day off on Thursday, he's good to go on Friday. While those setting DFS lineups on Friday evening shouldn't consider Smith's matchup against Skenes to be an attractive one, the 30-year-old veteran should be returned to lineups in single-year fantasy formats. Smith comes into Friday's action hitting a robust .350/.453/.567 with a 1.02 OPS, three home runs, 15 RBI and eight runs scored in 60 at-bats. In three career at-bats against Skenes, he has one hit.
Source: MLB.com
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Source: MLB.com
Read More News