Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith will not be activated this weekend as he continues to deal with a neck injury, delaying a planned return to the MLB lineup, manager Dave Roberts told ESPN.
Smith had been due to return Friday, but Roberts said the three-time All-Star might not travel with the Dodgers when their road trip begins Monday in Minnesota. MLB's transaction log lists Smith on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to June 8, with neck inflammation.
Dodgers Hold Smith On Injured List
Roberts said Smith had a scan and was set to receive an injection to help minimize the sensation from the injury. The manager described the catcher as feeling OK but not great, adding that Los Angeles is trying to avoid a setback when he returns.
The available source material does not support a firm new return date. That is the point of the update: Smith's activation has moved from a planned Friday return to an open-ended wait through at least the weekend.
Smith has continued baseball activity, including a full workout Tuesday, according to ESPN. That gives the Dodgers some positive context without changing the roster fact that he remains on the injured list.
Neck Issue Tests Dodgers Catching Depth
The injury matters because Smith is not a fringe roster piece. He is one of the Dodgers' primary catchers and a middle-of-the-order bat, and his absence forces Los Angeles to keep covering innings behind the plate while monitoring his recovery.
MLB's official transaction feed verifies the roster move as a June 11 status change, with Smith placed on the 10-day IL retroactive to June 8. The same feed shows the club activated infielder Tommy Edman from the 60-day injured list on June 16, but Smith's status has not followed that path yet.
For now, the verified takeaway is narrow and important: Smith is still out, the Dodgers are being cautious with the neck issue, and the club's weekend roster will not include the activation it had been lining up.