The Los Angeles Dodgers have already locked themselves into the MLB postseason, and are currently atop the NL West, which should come as no surprise given that they are likely about to wrap up their 12th division title in the past 13 seasons.
However, the San Diego Padres are still 2.5 games behind the team and are in search of their first divisional title in nearly 20 years.
As if that doesn't put enough stress on the team, the team's starting catcher, Will Smith was recently sidelined with a hairline fracture in his throwing hand, and though manager Dave Roberts seems optimistic about the situation in terms of the postseason, it's likely that Smith's regular season is over.
Could Will Smith Miss the Beginning of the Postseason?
Smith's availability for the postseason is still to be determined, and both Roberts and the team's president of baseball relations Andrew Friedman are both on the positive side of Smith's return window.
“We’re optimistic that it’s going to heal quickly, but we’re at the mercy of how quickly that happens,” Friedman said. “We don’t really know, but we’re optimistic it’ll be pretty fast. But beyond that, we’re not sure.”
“We’re up in the air,” Roberts said about Smith's postseason being active for the postseason. “Don’t know that.”
Smith, a three-time All-Star, ends the regular season with a .296 batting average and 17 home runs in 110 games played.