Smith signed a one-year, $8.6 million deal with the Dodgers on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Smith is in the second year of arbitration eligibility and will earn $3.3 million more than he did in 2023. He posted a career-low .797 OPS across 554 plate appearances last season, though he's still an above-average producer at catcher.
Will Smith Heads to bench
Smith will be on the bench Saturday against the Giants.
Analysis: Smith sits for the second time in three days, with the Dodgers seemingly prioritizing rest in the final week of the regular season. He's one homer shy of his third straight 20-homer campaign but will have to wait until the final game of the season to try for it, unless he appears as a pinch hitter Saturday. Austin Barnes will start behind the plate in Smith's absence, catching for Clayton Kershaw.
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