WILL SMITH NEWS

Leaves with neck soreness Smith was removed from Wednesday's game against the Padres with a sore neck, Alanna Rizzo of Spectrum SportsNet LA reports.

Impact The 25-year-old went 0-for-1 before exiting during the fifth inning, and the severity of the injury remains unclear. Austin Barnes took over behind the plate and will start Thursday's contest, while Smith is considered day-to-day, per Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register.

AUGUST 13, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Heads to bench Smith is not starting Tuesday against the Padres.

Impact Austin Barnes will start behind the plate Tuesday. Smith still has the slight edge in starts this season, catching 10 games compared to eight for Barnes.

AUGUST 11, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Not in Saturday's lineup Smith is not starting Saturday against the Giants.

Impact Smith and Austin Barnes have split the playing time very evenly behind the plate this season, with Smith starting eight games and Barnes starting seven. Barnes will catch Clayton Kershaw in Saturday's contest.

AUGUST 8, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Homers in win Smith went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run during Friday's victory over the Giants.

Impact Down 0-2 on the count, Smith hit his second home run of the season, this time a two-run shot off Jeff Samardzija in the fourth inning. Both of Smith's long balls have been against the Giants this year. The 25-year-old backstop is hitting .231/.364/.500 across 26 at-bats.

AUGUST 8, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Homer happy: Dodgers pummel Samardzija, Giants 7-2

Mookie Betts homered for the first time at Dodger Stadium, and Max Muncy and Will Smith went deep to help Los Angeles defeat the San Francisco Giants 7-2

AUGUST 8, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Rays hold Yankees to 2 hits in 1-0 win

AUGUST 8, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Notes: Smith ready to debut; Freeman better One couldn't help but notice the big smile on Will Smith's face during Friday's Zoom session with the local media. The Braves left-hander is...

AUGUST 7, 2020 • MLB.COM

Will Smith activated as Braves get to 28 All-Star reliever Will Smith was activated from the injured list and added to the Braves’ active roster, which was reduced from 30 to 28 pla...

AUGUST 6, 2020 • MLB.COM

Not starting Tuesday Smith is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Padres, Eric Stephen of TrueBlueLA.com reports.

Impact Austin Barnes gets the nod behind the plate. Both backstops will now have started six times in the team's first 12 games.

AUGUST 4, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Cronenworth, Paddack help Padres beat Dodgers 5-4

San Diego rookie Jake Cronenworth singled home the go-ahead run in the sixth inning for the Padres, who hit three solo home runs off Walker Buehler and beat the Los Angeles Dodgers...

AUGUST 4, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Notes: Smith on track; rotation; Albies' wrist To keep Will Smith on track to be activated later this week, the Braves did not allow Mother Nature to alter the left-handed reliever’s sche...

AUGUST 3, 2020 • MLB.COM

Day off Sunday Smith is not in the lineup Sunday against the Diamondbacks, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.

Impact Smith has alternated starts with Austin Barnes over the past five games, and that trend will continue Sunday after Smith went 1-for-4 with a strikeout during Saturday's contest.

AUGUST 2, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Not starting Friday Smith is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Diamondbacks, Eric Stephen of TrueBlueLA.com reports.

Impact Smith and Austin Barnes have split time evenly behind the plate so far this season, with both catcher starting four times. Smith doesn't have a hit in any of his four starts, with his lone base knock coming off the bench in the third game of the season.

JULY 31, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Giants beat Dodgers 3-1, gain split of season-opening series

Mauricio Dubon singled home the go-ahead run in the sixth inning and the San Francisco Giants beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1

JULY 27, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Will Smith cleared to end COVID quarantine Braves reliever Will Smith has been cleared to end his quarantine, which was required after he tested positive for COVID-19 at the beginning...

JULY 26, 2020 • MLB.COM

Will Smith tweets to fan whose head he lopped off with home run Will Smith tweets to fan whose head he lopped off with home run. Will Smith tweets to fan whose head he lopped off with home run. Things we...

JULY 26, 2020 • FANSIDED.COM

Giants beat Dodgers 5-4 for Kapler's 1st win as manager

Wilmer Flores homered and the Giants beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-4 on Saturday to give Gabe Kapler his first win as San Francisco manager

JULY 25, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Supplies late homer Smith went 1-for-1 with a solo home run in Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Giants.

Impact Smith's lone at-bat came in the ninth inning after he entered as a defensive replacement for Austin Barnes. Smith's homer cut the deficit to one run, but the Dodgers couldn't muster anything else against Giants reliever Trevor Gott. It's been a fairly even timeshare behind the dish between Smith and Barnes to start 2020, which can make both of them frustrating to roster in one-catcher formats.

JULY 25, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Still considered primary closer Melancon is still expected to serve as the Braves' primary closer to begin the season, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.

Impact O'Brien reiterated that the Braves always intended for Melancon to start the season as the primary closer, even before Will Smith was placed on the COVID-19 IL earlier this month. "They said that from the day they signed Smith," O'Brien said. Smith was not part of the announced Opening Day roster and the Braves don't know when they will get the lefty back, so Melancon could take on an even larger share of the ninth-inning duties early on.

JULY 24, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Scheduled to sit out opener Manager Dave Roberts said in an appearance Thursday on the "Off Air with Joe and Orel" podcast that Smith will be out of the lineup for the Dodgers' Opening Day game against the Gi...

Impact Fantasy players will want to confirm as much when the Dodgers formally release their lineup later Thursday, but Roberts said that Smith will give way to Austin Barnes in the opener. Roberts mentioned that he expects Smith to catch three of the team's first five games, so the 25-year-old looks to be Option 1A in the timeshare at catcher.

JULY 23, 2020 • ROTOWIRE

Free Agent Signings

Free Agent Signings

JULY 19, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Free Agent Signings

Free Agent Signings

JULY 19, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Free Agent Signings

Free Agent Signings

JULY 17, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Free Agent Signings

Free Agent Signings

JULY 16, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Batting leadoff in intrasquad game Hernandez started at first base and batted leadoff in Tuesday's intrasquad game, Alanna Rizzo of Spectrum SportsNet LA reports.

Impact Hernandez was a member of the team's secondary lineup, with catcher Will Smith being the only likely starter among the position players. Regardless, the 28-year-old is poised to work in a super-utility role again in 2020, though the implementation of the universal DH also figures to impact his role.

JULY 14, 2020 • ROTOWIRE