LOS ANGELES — Minutes before first pitch, catcher Will Smith was scratched from the Dodgers’ starting lineup in Wednesday night’s series finale against the Rockies.
The team announced that Smith is dealing with soreness from the bone bruise in his right hand, which he sustained one week ago after taking a foul tip off his throwing hand one week ago in Pittsburgh.
Backup Ben Rortvedt took over behind the plate for Smith, who returned to the starting lineup on Tuesday after missing five games. X-rays and a CT scan on Smith’s hand were clean, leading the Dodgers to keep him on the active roster rather than placing him on the injured list.
Smith has been arguably the Dodgers’ steadiest hitter this season, batting .296 with a .901 OPS in 110 games.
Manager Dave Roberts has acknowledged that Smith will likely have to manage the bone bruise in his hand for the rest of the regular season and beyond. The Dodgers had been hoping to get him through back-to-back games before Thursday’s team off-day.
