by Megan Garcia
The sounds of disbelief kept growing in the seventh inning.
Silence eventually followed.
The loudest hit of the night extended the Dodgers’ lead in Game 2 of the National League Division Series.
Celebration broke out in the Dodger dugout at Citizens Bank Park. And for the first time in nearly a month, it was Will Smith being celebrated.
“That’s what I love to do. It’s just going out there and compete and help the team win,” Smith said. “It’s nice to get that first knock, first couple of RBI in a big spot — it felt good.”
Will Smith had four postseason plate appearances in 2025 when he went to bat in the seventh. He was hitless in all of them.
But with the bases loaded and two outs, it was a situation that Smith has proved to be successful in.
With the Dodgers leading 1–0, Smith lined a two-run single on the first pitch he saw from Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering.
The Dodgers took a 3–0 lead.
His knack for big hits was a welcome sight in the Dodgers’ 4–3 win, especially considering that he has come back from a hairline fracture in his right hand.
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“It’s great. He’s our All-Star catcher,” said manager Dave Roberts. “You’re just trying to play the middle of getting him back, working him back into kind of game shape. And it’s just a little bit tougher to do in the postseason.”
Smith now ranks sixth in Dodger franchise history with 31 RBI in the postseason.
Smith has yet to start in a postseason game for the Dodgers during this run. He’s being eased after the right-hand hairline fracture sidelined him in early September. He last appeared in the starting lineup on Sept. 9 against the Rockies when he went 1-for-4.
Since then, it’s been Ben Rortvedt behind the plate. Rortvedt has started all four postseason games for the Dodgers, thus far.
“When you have a guy like Ben, with what he’s done preventing runs, it makes it a lot easier,” Roberts said. “But I do think that now Will’s got his game legs back, and hopefully he comes in good tomorrow for the workout and feels good for Game 3.”
2025 NLDS: Will Smith adds another big hit to his postseason résumé was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.