"Smith's timeline to return to baseball is a "pain-tolerance kind of thing," as he recovers from a hairline fracture suffered by a foul ball hit off his hand earlier this month. Smith spoke on what he still needs to accomplish before being able to return to his spot behind the dish, and seemed confident when he reminded the baseball world how close his team is to the promised land."
"In the meantime, rookie catcher Dalton Rushing has been getting an increased workload, - plus, overcame an IL stint of his own earlier this month, also via a foul ball mishap - and trade deadline acquisition Ben Rortvedt has been looking incredible as a backstop who wasn't expected to crack the active roster, let alone in September."
"Rortvedt was one of the less-talked-about deals at the deadline, being thrown in with some prospects in exchange for Triple-A catcher Hunter Feduccia, but he has been hitting .275 with a .741 OPS in his 15 appearances in Dodger blue, and hit his first home run of the year on Tuesday night."
The Los Angeles Dodgers clinched a postseason berth but face significant concerns heading into October. The bullpen has been unreliable, surrendering late leads and increasing fan unease. All-Star catcher Will Smith remains on the injured list with a hairline fracture to his hand and his return depends on pain tolerance and readiness. Smith expects live batting practice before rejoining but may miss the start of the postseason. Rookie Dalton Rushing and recent acquisition Ben Rortvedt have taken on greater catching responsibilities, with Rortvedt producing offensively in limited action. Catching depth and bullpen performance remain priorities.
Read at Dodgers Nation
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