Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith pain‑free, easing trade‑deadline catcher need

All‑Star catcher Will Smith, 31, of the Los Angeles Dodgers is now pain‑free and has resumed baseball activities after missing time with an inflamed disc and neck stiffness that sidelined him since early June. Manager Dave Roberts said Smith has begun a throwing and hitting program and is working in the weight room ahead of the team's series opener against the Seattle Mariners, though a timetable for a full return remains uncertain.

The update reduces the Dodgers' urgency to acquire another catcher before the upcoming trade deadline, where they had been weighing options to add depth behind backup Dalton Rushing.