Will Smith said on October 12, 2026, that he is not panicking over his five-game postseason offensive slump and will continue working to correct his swing while handling his catching responsibilities.
“No panic for me, so I'll be fine,” Smith said. He explained that separating his offense from his catching is required in the major leagues: “That's just part of my job.” Smith added that he missed three months and had approximately one month to return before the postseason, while feeling “really good the last month, last couple weeks especially.”
Smith evaluated his swing positively, saying he is selecting appropriate pitches but has narrowly missed balls while pitchers have made good pitches. “Still swinging the right pitches, taking, you know, good pitches,” he stated. He plans to continue working in the cage to address the mechanical issue and said he will keep trusting himself when postseason results do not begin as desired.
Smith noted that he learned to separate offense and catching during his rookie year by speaking with veteran teammates, who placed a major emphasis on that approach. He acknowledged that the postseason makes the pressure and attention around each game more elevated.
Smith praised Yoshinobu Yamamoto's execution, command, pitch sequencing and confidence, saying, “His execution is better than anybody.” He described Yamamoto as enjoyable to catch, adding, “Yeah, he's really fun to catch.” Smith also said Evan Phillips is a Dodgers bullpen contributor the team will rely on because of his aggressive approach, strong stuff and composure, and said Phillips attacks the strike zone. Dave Roberts wants to keep Smith higher in the lineup, according to the discussion.