The Los Angeles Dodgers have experienced a wave of sudden injuries to both catchers on the active roster, Will Smith and Dalton Rushing.

Smith has not appeared in game action since leaving last Wednesday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates with a bone bruise in his right hand after being struck inadvertently by a foul ball.

To make matters worse, backup rookie catcher Rushing suffered a right shin contusion against the Baltimore Orioles just two days later last Friday after fouling a ball off his shin.

With Los Angeles in the midst of a crucial stretch—holding on to just a one-game lead in the NL West entering Monday—the team has turned to trade deadline acquisition Ben Rortvedt to handle duties behind the plate in Smith and Rushing’s absence.

Will Smith Injury Update

On Monday, the Dodgers revealed the return of Max Muncy from the injured list and optioned catcher Chuckie Robinson back to Triple-A, a move that signaled Smith may be available sooner rather than later.

Moments later, the Dodgers announced via manager Dave Roberts that Smith would be available to pinch-hit on Monday in the series opener against the Colorado Rockies and is expected to make his first start back on Tuesday.

Dave Roberts said Will Smith is available tonight and the hope is he’ll be in the lineup tomorrow. Dalton Rushing has also been moving better today, so they hope it’ll be a 10-day IL stint.

— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) September 8, 2025

While this is an exciting development for the Dodgers, Roberts has previously stated that Smith’s injury will need to be managed for the remainder of the season. The bone bruise is expected to linger, and while the swelling has improved, it may still affect Smith’s swing and ability to throw behind the plate.

The Dodgers’ All-Star catcher’s availability will still be huge for the organization, as the 30-year-old veteran made a third consecutive All-Star appearance this year and has taken strides defensively. Smith has posted a .296 batting average, .405 on-base percentage, .902 OPS, 17 home runs and 61 RBIs in 109 games this year.