Prior to the Dodgers just-concluded eight-game/two-city road trip to Colorado (Rockies) and San Francisco (Giants), 27-year-old Dodgers catcher Will Smith told SportsNet LA’s Kirsten Watson that he “…wasn’t feeling so great at the plate.” But during that very successful 7-1 Dodgers road trip, the Louisville, KY native and Dodgers first-round draft pick in 2016 out of the University of Louisville went 9-for-30 (.300) with 10 doubles, one home run, and eight RBI, to which, when asked by Watson how he’s feeling at the plate now, answered with a big smile “A lot better than then.”

After Friday night’s dominating 8-1 win over the (distant) NL West second-place San Diego Padres at a (very) sold-out Dodger Stadium on Vin Scully Night and during which Smith went 3-for-4 (all singles) with one RBI, Smith told Watson: “They’re a good team but we really got after (Padres left-hander (Sean) Manaea early and built a big lead, and then the (Dodgers) pitchers shut it down. We just got some pitches to hit, some balls down the line, some doubles, some good at-bats. We were just on ’em. It was a fun night for the offense.”

“He’s swinging the bat really well. I think he’s been swinging the bat well for the last five weeks,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Smith postgame. “He’s always taking good at-bats, he’s using the entire field, he’s on the fastball. It was off the wall for a double tonight – got to second base on a great play – but he’s just doing it on both sides. Playing fantastic baseball.”

With his (continuing) hot bat on Friday night, Smith is now slashing .269 / .358 / .465 / .823 on the season, with 18 doubles, one triple, 15 home runs, and 56 RBI.

Fantastic baseball indeed.

Play Ball!

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