Dodgers Interview: Will Smith Reflects on Fireworks-Filled Win Over Padres

LOS ANGELES — On a night that had everything from booming home runs to tempers flaring and ejections, Dodgers catcher Will Smith stood at the center of the storm—literally and figuratively.

Smith delivered a three-hit performance, including a key solo home run, in the Dodgers’ 8–6 win over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night. But it was his poise behind the plate during a chaotic seventh inning—and his leadership in the dugout—that stood out just as much as his contributions in the box score.

In the top of the seventh, with the Dodgers clinging to a lead, things got weird.

Fernando Tatis Jr. appeared to have come off the base between plays, and Mookie Betts made a tag, after a heads-up play from Tommy Edman. But home plate umpire Jordan Baker had already granted time—prematurely, in Smith’s view.

“The umpire called time at home,” Smith said after the game. “Yeah, I thought he called it a little early. You know, the ball was still rolling on the ground. Maybe he tagged [Tatis] out, but he waved it off because he called time. Why he called time, I don’t know—but he did. So we had to deal with it.”

According to Smith, he hadn’t explicitly asked for time in that moment, as he normally would when requesting a fresh ball from the ump. “Usually, that doesn’t happen where the guy thinks he’s out, runs off the base, and they tag him,” Smith said. “It just got blown up because of that.”

With emotions spilling over and benches briefly rustling, the game took on a postseason atmosphere. That’s nothing new when the Dodgers face the Padres.

“We pretty much get everyone’s A-game,” Smith said. “That’s a good ballclub over there. The games are always back and forth. They’re fun—two good teams going at it. So yeah, they’re just different.”

There were multiple hit-by-pitches in the game, including one to Shohei Ohtani that drew glances and muttering from the Dodgers’ bench. Smith wouldn’t speculate on intent.

“You never fully know,” he said. “I’m not saying he did, not saying he didn’t. I mean, who knows? I have no idea.”

But Smith appreciated how the Dodgers kept their composure. When reliever accidentally plunked José Iglesias after the Dodgers had taken a comfortable lead, cooler heads prevailed.

But moment sparked heated conversations, added fuel to already high tensions, and drew manager Dave Roberts from the dugout in defense of his players. Roberts would ultimately be ejected—his first of the season—but not before sending a clear message that he had his team’s back.

“That’s Doc,” Smith said. “He’s got our back all the time. We love the passion, we love his commitment to winning and competitiveness. Standing up for what’s right—that fires us up.”

Though the umpires warned both benches, Smith felt it was the right move to let Matt Sauer remain in the game after plunking Jose Iglesias. “Doc wasn’t happy about the earlier ones,” Smith acknowledged. “But with Sauer hitting Iglesias [in the seventh], there was no intent. I thought it was a good job [by the umpires] not throwing him out. We needed a guy to eat some innings for us.”

If Smith’s presence was steady throughout the chaos, his bat was clutch.

In the fifth inning, Smith fouled off several tough pitches before finally connecting with a fastball and launching it into the left-field pavilion. It was a classic Will Smith at-bat: calm, disciplined, and dangerous. And it sparked the rally that would prove to be the difference during the game.

“He was making good pitches,” Smith said of Padres reliever Adrian Morejon. “He’s got a really good fastball. I was able to foul off a few, stay alive, and finally connect on a heater.”

While the Dodgers’ stars stepped up throughout the game, Smith also made sure to acknowledge the continued breakout season of Andy Pages, who launched a go-ahead grand slam earlier in the night.

“He’s been great all year,” Smith said. “You saw flashes of it last year—just raw talent. But now we’re seeing more consistency. We’re seeing the best of him right now.”

That’s high praise from one of the steadiest veterans on the team. Smith doesn’t make headlines with wild antics or fiery pressers, but within the clubhouse, he’s known for his leadership, toughness, and relentless drive to win. On Tuesday night, in a game that had all the tension and chaos of October, that quiet leadership mattered.

The Dodgers are locked in a battle for the top of the NL West, and every win against San Diego feels like a message. Smith and the Dodgers sent one loud and clear on Tuesday: they won’t be rattled.

“We know what’s at stake,” Smith said. “We’re going to keep playing hard, stick together, and do what we do.”

And what they do, when it all clicks—emotions, execution, and effort—is win big games.

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