Will Smith did it once more. The Los Angeles Dodgers owe one other win to Smith and his late-game heroics.
Los Angeles’s main catcher crushed a pinch-hit walk-off residence run to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-4 on Sunday.
With the sport tied at 4 within the backside of the ninth, Smith was known as to do one thing he is change into well-known for — finish the sport as a pinch hitter. Smith delivered, rocketing a solo shot to left middle area and handing the Dodgers their 78th win of the season, one which additionally prevented being swept by Arizona.
However whereas Smith’s unbelievable heroics are superb, they are not as shocking as they might appear. Catchers do are inclined to earn pinch-hit at-bats, principally as a result of they want extra off days than most different gamers. The grind of the place warranted an occasional relaxation, typically on Sundays to shut a weekend collection.
Nonetheless, it is smart to nonetheless give a catcher with as a lot pop as Smith a pinch-hit alternative late in an in depth recreation.
And naturally, Smith is not any stranger to hitting residence runs. He now has 127 in six years and 17 on the season to this point. He is reached a minimum of 20 in three of the previous 4 years, along with his solely sub-20 marketing campaign being one shy at 19.
Smith is just among the finest hitting catchers in baseball, carrying a .293 common with 60 RBI and an on-base share of .404. His present 4.3 WAR (wins above substitute) for the 2025 season could be his greatest for a single season.
A two-time World Collection champion, Smith has come up clutch within the postseason as effectively. He has eight lengthy balls and 29 RBI in 57 playoff video games to this point in his profession.
Most notably, Smith recorded 13 RBI within the playoffs in the course of the Dodgers’ championship run within the COVID-19-shortened 2020 and hit .417 within the 2023 postseason.
It is attending to the purpose that opposing managers could take into consideration simply strolling a rested Smith with a base open in the event that they see him step as much as the plate as a pinch-hitter within the backside of the ninth or in additional innings.
