Will Smith expected to make cactus debut next week.
Will Smith was named to the All Star team for a second straight year, but his numbers began to dip gradually throughout the course of the second half.
His struggles continued in the postseason, where Smith slashed just .143/.246/.321 while he slid down to eighth in the Dodgers lineup during three of the five games in the World Series.
It was revealed that Smith had been dealing with a nagging ankle issue that has been plaguing him since last season. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic notes that Smith will not be in the Dodgers’ lineup for their cactus opener against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday.
Will Smith isn’t expected to be in the Dodgers’ early Cactus League action due to an ankle issue that has nagged at him dating to last season. Smith said the issue only impacts him running and he hasn’t started a progression there just yet.
Matthew Moreno of Dodger Blue tweets that the hope is for him to make his spring debut next week.
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Outfielder Zyhir Hope ranks sixth on the Dodgers prospect list, and the 20-year-old is still a few years away from being projected to crack the major leagues.
Entering his first spring training in big league camp, Hope is exhilarated for the opportunity to learn from those that have top level pedigree and experience, per Sonja Chen of MLB.com.
“It’s been amazing,” Hope said. “I’m truly grateful and blessed for the opportunity this org gave me. I’m just playing ball, having a good time, trying to get better each and every day.”
Two former Dodgers from the 111-win 2022 squad have found new homes.
Former Dodgers mainstay Justin Turner will be entering his 40-year-old season back in the National League for the first time since departing the Dodgers, signing a one-year, $6,500,000 deal with the Chicago Cubs.
Turner split the 2024 season with the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners, posting a 117 wRC+ and 1.2 fWAR in 139 games. The Cubs now add a World Series winning third baseman that will help eventually pave the way for top prospect Matt Shaw to make his MLB debut.
Outfielder Trayce Thompson signed a minor league deal with the Boston Red Sox. Thompson hasn’t appeared in a major league game since the 2023 season, where he slashed .163/.285/.297 across 72 games with both the Dodgers and Chicago White Sox.
