The 18 Words From Dave Roberts That Tell You Everything About Will Smith's Return

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith has missed more than a month of the season, and despite some progress, his return timeline remains completely up in the air. Manager Dave Roberts delivered a pretty blunt update recently, saying, "Hesitant to put any type of timeline on it, but certainly expect him back this year. Just have no idea when." Yikes, right? What was initially thought to be a minor neck issue has just ballooned into a lingering problem, now diagnosed as disc inflammation, and fans are getting antsy.

The Loooooong Road Back From Disc Inflammation

It's been a rollercoaster for those following Smith's injury. You've got some folks online out there just making stuff up, baselessly speculating he’s going to miss the entire season. Then, on the flip side, others are posting old videos of Smith looking great in workouts, trying to make it seem like he’s ready to suit up tomorrow. But here’s the kicker: those videos are from 2025 Spring Training! Talk about fake news. The truth is, Smith is making progress, but it’s definitely not quick. As of July 3, he was hitting in the batting cages and doing some throwing. That sounds good on the surface, but Jack Harris of the California Post made it clear these activities are "a far cry from a return to action." He still needs to get back to facing live pitching, resuming full catching duties, and then there’s the whole rehab assignment before we see him back on the field. The longer he’s out, the longer that rehab stint is going to be. It’s a real grinder.

How a "Small" Neck Pain Became a Major Headache

So, how did this whole mess start? Smith himself revealed the neck pain began small, but just kept getting worse. He recalled, "It's been a long few days. It happened in Arizona, played on it a couple days, played on it at home (last Friday), and then just that third or fourth day, I kind of felt it was just getting a lot worse. Couldn't play that day." It was one of those classic "thought it would get better in a couple days" situations that just didn't. Instead, it became a major issue. Manager Dave Roberts’ measured update from earlier this week really summed it up: "I still don't see him doing anything that's considerable in the sense of, you know, return to play." That kind of honesty just tells you everything you need to know about the current situation. The Dodgers are definitely feeling the absence of their star catcher. When will he be back? Roberts said he expects him back "this year," but with no timeline, it’s just a waiting game for everyone. You gotta hope Smith’s recovery picks up, because every day he's not behind the plate is a big miss.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.