Will Smith DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (knee) was replaced in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Cincinnati Reds after getting hit by a pitch on his left knee, according to The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya. It's unclear how severe Smith's left-knee injury is, but it's not the first injury he's dealt with in spring training after being delayed early in camp with ankle soreness. For now, we'll consider the 29-year-old backstop day-to-day until we get further word on his ailment. Most likely, the Dodgers pulled him out of an abundance of caution. An All-Star the last two seasons, Smith slashed .248/.327/.433 last year with 20 home runs, 75 RBI and 77 runs scored in 128 games. It was the third time in the last four years that Smith has reached the 20-homer mark to finish as a top-five fantasy catcher. While he's not an elite fantasy option at the position, he's been extremely reliable and has a safe floor in the best lineup in baseball.UPDATE: Manager Dave Roberts said Smith's exit was purely precautionary.

The Kansas City Royals want left-handed reliever William Smith (back) fresh for the last month of the 2024 regular season, so a rest on the injured could help his cause. Smith has been playing catch to keep his arm in shape. He had been dealing with back issues for a few weeks before the team placed him on the 15-day IL on Aug. 26. Smith had been trying to pitch through it, but it was impacting his performance on the mound, and his back spasms got worse after the appeared on back-to-back days against the Philadelphia Phillies on Aug. 24 and 25, when he surrendered seven runs in just two innings. In his previous five appearances, the 35-year-old southpaw allowed 14 runs in just 4 2/3 innings, so he has clearly been bothered by his back issues. If Smith is healthy down the stretch as the Royals try to secure one of the final wild-card spots in the American League, he'll operate as a key lefty setup man.

The Kansas City Royals placed left-handed reliever William Smith (back) on the 15-day injured list on Monday with lower-back spasms and recalled right-hander Carlos Hernandez from Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move. The 35-year-old veteran southpaw had been terrible of late, and this explains why. In his last five appearances out of the bullpen since Aug. 9, he surrendered 14 earned runs on 12 hits (three home runs) while walking two and striking out five over just 4 2/3 innings pitched. The brutal stretch raised his season ERA to 6.53 and his WHIP to 1.45. Smith has gone 0-4 this year for the Royals and has only picked up one save while striking out only 29 and walking 15 hitters in 41 1/3 total innings for work. He brings plenty of experience to KC's bullpen (114 career saves), but he can remain on the waiver wire in all fantasy leagues.