Rookie catcher Will Smith has already made an impact in his first week and a half with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He can thank Austin Barnes for the opportunity, as Barnes’ trip to the 10-day injured list paved way for Smith to make his MLB debut.
Barnes has recovered from his groin injury, though, and his planned return on Friday means that Smith will likely sent back down to Triple-A Oklahoma City. However, Barnes has also taken notice of what his young teammate has done in Smith’s short time with the Dodgers.
“It’s not easy for a young catcher to come up, especially with the Dodgers,” Barnes told DodgerBlue.