Smith was named to the NL All-Star team for the second time in his career, and signed a 10-year, $140 million extension before the season
For the second time in his career, Will Smith was named to the National League All-Star team, but his status as one of the best catchers in baseball came into question amidst a sluggish mid-season stretch.
Before Smith played a regular season game (in North America) this year, he inked a 10-year extension worth $140 million to remain a Dodger. It was the first time in MLB history that a catcher signed a deal of at least 10 years, and was the third deal of 10-plus years the Dodgers dished out a four-month stretch.
The Dodger backstop started hot, hitting .412 through his first 13 games of the season and ended the month of April with a .362 average and .946 OPS.
As the temperatures began to warm up in the middle of the season, Smith’s bat went the inverse route. His batting average dropped 67 points by the end of May, although the power began to creep through with six home runs in May compared to just three in March and April, and 10 of his 18 hits in May went for extra bases.
Over a span of 69 games played ranging from May 1 until August 12, Smith was a massive liability in the Dodgers lineup. The power was still very apparent, indicated by 12 home runs (including a hat trick against the Brewers) and 10 doubles over that period, but his slash lines were disastrous for a hitter of his caliber, slashing .198/.296/.384.
Despite the offensive struggles, Smith was named to his second consecutive All-Star team, joining Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernández, and Tyler Glasnow as the Dodgers representatives for the 2024 midsummer classic in Arlington.
Smith started to regain consistency at the plate over his final 32 games of the season, registering a .257/.328/.443 slash line— nearly on par with his overall regular season averages— but after a four-homer series against the Brewers, his power was basically zapped over his 54 games, connecting for just five home runs and totaling just 11 extra base hits over the final two months of the season.
During the Dodgers’ World Series run, Smith’s role within the batting order diminished. Smith had hit third during the majority of the 2023 season and hit in the middle of the lineup this season, but in the postseason, he spearheaded the bottom third of the lineup, at times hitting as low as eighth.
Smith had his bright spots in the playoffs, including a two-run home run in Game 4 of the NLDS, a two-run home run in Game 6 of the NLCS, and a solo home run in Game 4 of the World Series, but was a mostly a non-factor for the eventual world champions. A now career .200 hitter across his postseason career, Smith slumped to a .143/.246/.321 slash line in 16 playoff games this year, while also handling the load of catching a bullpen-forward pitching staff all October.
On the season, Smith had career lows in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and wRC+ (111). Despite the offensive setbacks, he still ranked within the top seven for qualified catchers in home runs, RBI, wRC+, and fWAR.
2024 particulars
Age: 29
Stats: .248/.327/.433, 20 HR, 75 RBI, 24 2B, 128 G, 111 wRC+, 3.5 rWAR, 2.7 fWAR
Salary: $23.55 million (including $15 million of his signing bonus in November; plus $8.55 million of his $13.55 million salary, with $5 million deferred)
Game of the year
The highlight of Smith’s regular season came back on July 5, when Smith smacked three home runs against the Milwaukee Brewers. Smith became the first Dodgers catcher to have a hat trick since Yasmani Grandal on July 8, 2016, and became the fourth catcher in franchise history to accomplish this feat, joining Grandal, Mike Piazza, and Roy Campanella.
THREE-HOMER GAME!
Will Smith ties it up pic.twitter.com/XiLJxk2Spa
— MLB (@MLB) July 6, 2024
Roster status
Smith will be entering the second year of his 10-year extension in 2025. He gets the remaining $15 million of his signing bonus on January 15, and will earn a $13 million salary next season, of which $5 million is deferred.