Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES, CA — The Dodgers are coming off a so-so 4-3 road trip, but due to a lot of attrition, it was a diminished lineup that limped back to Chavez Ravine to open a homestand against the St. Louis Cardinals. However, I am the bearer of good news. Reinforcements are on the way!
First and foremost, Friday night marks the first night in a couple of weeks that star catcher Will Smith is back in the lineup. After getting his cage rattled by a foul ball off the mask in San Francisco, Smith has been in the concussion protocols since April 16th. He finally returns to the active roster, playing DH on Friday.
It was a good thing that Smith returned, as another roster move was made that necessitated his reinsertion into the lineup stat. J.D. Martinez, who was out of the lineup at the end of the road trip, was sent to the I.L with lower back tightness.
But enough of the bad news. Friday also saw a return of a couple of key pieces who are coming back from paternity leave amidst the GREAT DODGER BABY BOOM OF 2023. Max Muncy is back in the lineup tonight, after being there for wife Kellie for the birth of their second child, Wyatt.
In addition reliever Brusdar Graterol returned to the bullpen on Friday. He, too, got an injection of Dad Strength when wife Allison gave birth to a girl Bazooka, Aria. To make space on the roster for all these moves, Luke Williams and Justin Bruihl were sent back to Oklahoma City.
Hopefully, with Smith and Muncy back in the batting order, the Dodgers can break out of the on-again-off-again nature. We shall see…
