HERE WE GO AGAIN! For the Dodgers, injuries have become a chapter that refuses to close, striking at the worst possible moment. Their All-Star catcher is now injured, adding to a growing list of sidelined players as October approaches. This situation forces management to scramble for solutions with the postseason coming.

The nightmare began on September 3, when Will Smith got a bruise on his hand during a game against the Pirates when a foul tip hit him. At first, X-rays showed no break, so he kept moving around. He then came back on September 9 to play against the Colorado Rockies and was even going to start the next game, but swelling made the Dodgers pull him out. On September 13, the ballclub placed him on the IL, retroactive to September 10, acknowledging the injury was worse than they anticipated.

Then comes the confirmation on the injury posted by Fabian Ardaya on X. It read, “Will Smith went for more scans. He has a hairline fracture in his hand. “Doubtful” he’s back for regular season, Dave Roberts, and “up in the air” that he will be ready for the start of the postseason.” Finding the hairline fracture explained the constant swelling.

Smith’s absence creates a massive void in the Dodgers’ lineup. The three-time All-Star has a slash line of .296/.404/.497 in 110 games this season, with 17 home runs and 61 RBIs. He has the highest on-base percentage, the second-highest batting average, and is near the top in slugging among qualified hitters in the National League. The Dodgers rely on this kind of offensive productivity in close games.

With Smith sidelined, Roberts has been forced to reshape his catching strategy entirely. Dave Roberts named Ben Rortvedt as the primary catcher while Smith was out, giving him “the lion’s share” of starts behind the plate. Dalton Rushing and Chuckie Robinson have taken turns doing backup duties.

The skipper regretted that they should have put him on the IL right after the first injury. “I think in hindsight we would have definitely done it (the IL move),” Roberts said. “But that’s not what we had at that point in time. The information we had at the time was, he could play a game, which he did. That’s what we knew. And then when he comes up sore the next day and the following days, then we made a decision.”

For a team that wants to win a championship, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Roberts has talked about how big this time is, saying, “This has to be the most important six weeks of our lives… because we have what everyone wants.” The Dodgers now have to prove that even if they might lose one of their best players during the most important part of the season, they can still win.

The Dodgers’ injury woes extend far beyond their All-Star catcher, creating a domino effect of roster complications.

Dodgers face double setback as injuries mount ahead of postseason

The Dodgers are going into the last stretch with some blind spots. Manager Dave Roberts has a short bullpen and holes behind the plate because his All-Star catcher is out, and Michael Kopech is on the IL again. The time for mistakes is running out as October approaches. These injuries are no longer just one-time events; they are becoming bigger dangers to being ready for the playoffs.

Kopech is on the 15-day injured list because his right knee is inflamed. This is a condition that came up after he had already missed time earlier in the season because of shoulder and knee problems. His most recent return on September 1 was short-lived: in more than four innings spanning numerous games this month, he gave up three earned runs and walked nine hitters, only getting four strikeouts.

Roberts says that Kopech has been “going through some things physically,” including problems with his shoulder and elbow. He said the performance was “not the standard that he is as a pitcher,” adding, “Obviously with what we’ve seen, it hasn’t been consistent … But man, this guy is such a great competitor. We’ll try to reset him and keep him alive for potentially the postseason.”

The Dodgers must be strategic with their roster as Kopech faces recurring injuries, and Will Smith’s fracture. What once seemed like strong depth now feels fragile. Roberts and the coaching staff need to be very precise with their strategies as the Boys in Blue have qualified for the playoffs for the 13th consecutive time, and face their greatest test of resilience when it matters most.