Will Smith Has Never Been Better for the Dodgers

He broke in with surprising power, launching 23 homers in his first 91 games across 2019 and 2020, slugging over .570 during that stretch. As he settled in, he delivered steady 20-homer seasons with an OPS consistently hovering in the .760 to .860 range and a WAR right around 4.0, which is just outstanding production for a catcher playing 126 to 137 games per season.

But in 2025, Smith has taken his game to a different level. Through 57 of the Dodgers’ first 73 games, he’s slashing .321/.420/.495, good for a .915 OPS and already a 2.8 bWAR – over halfway to his career-best mark before the season’s midpoint.

His .420 on-base percentage obliterates his previous high (.365 in 2021) and he’s showing a refined approach at the plate that is making him a nightmare for opposing pitchers.

Consider this: Smith has drawn 34 walks to just 41 strikeouts so far. In 2024, he had 51 walks against 105 strikeouts across 128 games, meaning he’s dramatically cut down the swing-and-miss without sacrificing his patient approach. And while the home run total (six) isn’t eye-popping, he’s slugging .495, which is his best mark since 2021.

Behind the plate, Smith’s defense remains a steady positive, even if his framing metrics don’t stand out. He ranks in the 80th percentile for caught stealing above average and 65th for pop time, showing that his quick release and arm are still big assets.

Where Smith really shines is his ability to deliver in the most pivotal moments. Against left-handed pitching this year, he’s been nearly unstoppable, slashing .419/.537/.744 slash line, good for a 1.281 OPS. He’s also been equally dangerous no matter the setting; home or away, day or night.

Dig deeper and you find an elite situational hitter. When Smith attacks the first pitch, he’s an assassin: 11-for-17 (.647) with a 1.765 OPS. And with two strikes? He’s a pitcher’s nightmare: .278 on 0-2 counts, .270 at 2-2, and an incredible .280 with a .955 OPS when he’s worked the count full.

What’s most telling is how he comes through with men on base.

With the bases empty, he’s hitting .260. Add a runner and that jumps to .378. With runners in scoring position, Smith transforms into a near-automatic RBI machine, batting .431 (25-for-58) with a 1.169 OPS. He’s just as clutch with runners in scoring position and two outs, hitting .393 with a 1.092 OPS, refusing to let scoring chances slip away.

Slotting mostly in the heart of the order — fourth or fifth behind Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández — Smith is the last thing a pitcher wants to see after navigating that murderers’ row.

Sure, hitting behind superstars can offer protection, but it also demands a hitter capable of capitalizing on the chaos they create. Smith does exactly that, using his elite contact skills and plate discipline to pick pitchers apart in big spots.

Statcast backs up the eye test: He ranks in the 90th percentile or better in key metrics like batting run value, xwOBA, xBA and sweet-spot percentage. He’s among the game’s elite at squaring up pitches, laying off bad ones and rarely whiffing.

Smith may never be the flashiest star in Hollywood, but for the Dodgers, he’s the steady hand behind the plate and the calm force in the batter’s box that makes everything else possible.