The Los Angeles Dodgers have gotten quality play from their sluggers in the 2024 MLB playoffs thus far, but may need more, especially from their valued catcher Will Smith, to overcome their latest challenge -- the New York Mets.
Smith's struggles through seven postseason games so far are foreign in comparison to the work he put in during Los Angeles' 162-game slate.
The 29-year-old was reliable for the Dodgers in the regular season, hitting for power with 20 home runs. He was also a force that helped drive home leadoff hitter Shohei Ohtani, as well as Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Teoscar Hernandez in the middle of their order with 75 RBIs and 77 runs along with it. The six-year veteran did have a down year by his standards from an efficiency standpoint, with a career-low slash line of .248/.327/.433, though his .760 OPS was solid.
Albeit, in the postseason, Smith has regressed mightily. The scale-back in his productivity started in Los Angeles' National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres, where he clocked in only two hits -- one of which was a home run -- and 2 RBIs while getting walked and struck out a combined six times in 16 at-bats. His .125 batting average told the story of his series, and he's now hitless against the Mets in the NLCS to make matters worse.
Smith did not get on the board against Mets ace Kodai Senga or star lefty Sean Manaea in Games 1 or 2 respectively, but will get his next chance to right the ship against Mets star righty Luis Severino in Game 3 on Wednesday. The Kentucky native owns a .172 batting average across 15 career League Championship Series games. A big day from Smith could help remedy that peripheral and fuel the Dodgers toward a pivotal win on the road in Game 3 to retake control of the series that is currently knotted up at one game apiece.
The two-time All-Star is too good to endure this slump forever. Smith has shown that he can be effective at the plate in the regular season and playoffs throughout his big league tenure, and it is L.A.'s hope that such productivity will return in short order. If it does, the former 2020 World Series champion could demand a new preface to his name -- two-time champion.