After taking a loss in the series opener, San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt was looking for a way to get back on track and put pressure on Dave Roberts and the Los Angeles Dodgers.With starting pitcher Dylan Cease struggling mightily with his command, giving up five runs in two innings off just one hit, Shildt hoped to see his hitters get aggressive once they got on base, looking to take Blake Snell off speed with the constant threat of a stolen base. Fortunately, no one told the Padres who was starting at catcher as Will Smith picked off not one, not two, but three San Diego players in the first two innings, leading to an impressive mark few have matched in Dodgers Blue.
The Padres seemed to have missed the scouting report on Will Smith.
They’ve tried to run on Will Smith three times. The Dodgers catcher has thrown them out every time.
Will Smith recorded three of the first four outs of the game via caught stealing.pic.twitter.com/VWLWvieHis
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Now, according to the dynamic duo of Stathead and LA Times beat writer Jack Harris, this isn’t the first time a Dodgers catcher has thrown out three hitters in a game, but he is just the third since 2011, a mark that is as surprising as it is impressive.
One of the best hitters in the business with a serious crack at winning the batting title thanks to his .308 batting average, it’s easy to forget that Smith might just be the best defensive catcher in the National League thanks to his dynamic ability to command a game with LA’s star-studded collection of arms. Smith earned an All-Star nod for the third season in a row, and if he continues to play at such a high level, his legend will only continue to grow.
Will Smith be able to add to his impressive pickoff total, adding another piece of history to his impressive resume? If the Padres are smart, they probably shouldn’t give even their fastest base runner a green light to go in this particular game, but even if he doesn’t, it’s clear LA has something special behind the bag and will remain impressive as ever as a result.
