Dodgers Notes: Rehab Notes from OKC, Will Smith Hand Injury, Ohtani Fastest Dodger to 100 Home Runs & More

PITTSBURGH, PA—Before the Dodgers hope to salvage yet another series tonight in Pittsburgh, we got plenty of updates across the organization on rehabbing players such as Vesia, Edman, and others, and a retrospective of Ohtani’s 100th home run as a Dodger. 

Shohei Ohtani Becomes Fastest Dodgers Player to Reach 100 Home Runs

While the Los Angeles Dodgers have yet to get on the right track for their final East Coast road trip of the 2025 regular season, two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani set his own personal and franchise milestones during Tuesday’s Game One loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Ohtani slugged his 46th home run of the year in the Dodgers’ 9-7 loss, giving him career home run number 100 in a Dodgers uniform.

After hitting a career-high fifty-four home runs in his debut season in Dodger Blue, Ohtani has now hit one hundred total with a little more than twenty games to go in just his second season of a massive 10-year $700 million contract.

Ohtani’s 100th homer in his 294th game with the Dodgers makes him the third-fastest since 1900 to reach that milestone with a team. Mark McGwire, with 100 home runs in 230 games for the St. Louis Cardinals, and Babe Ruth, in 250 games, were the only players to reach 100 home runs quicker, according to Elías.

The homer also made him the fourth player in MLB history to reach 100 homers during his first two seasons with a team, joining Babe Ruth (113, New York Yankees), Alex Rodriguez (109, Texas Rangers), and Roger Maris (100, Yankees).

“It wasn’t on my radar,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said recently said as Ohtani approached 100 home runs. “I’m not surprised by it, but I guess I was just more of, I don’t know what to expect. Just happy to have him in a Dodger uniform and we’ll see how it plays out. He’s just had an incredible run in a short period of time.”

Ohtani didn’t hit 100 home runs with the Los Angeles Angels until the 2022 season, long after his MLB debut in 2018. He ended his Angels career with a total of 171 home runs over six seasons.

However, that is due to a variety of factors, such as Ohtani undergoing two Tommy John procedures and missing a massive amount of games during the COVID-shortened 2020 season.

Ohtani’s 100th home run with the Dodgers had a 120 mph exit velocity, which made it the hardest-hit homer of his career. Only five players since Statcast began tracking in 2015 have hit a home run harder.

Will Smith Leaves Wednesday’s Game Early with Hand Injury

In what was arguably the worst second inning of the Dodgers’ season, they stranded the bases loaded without scoring any runs, despite having no outs. During this inning, veteran outfielder Andrew McCutchen hit a solo home run. Additionally, their key backstop, Will Smith, left the game early due to a hand injury.

He was taken out in the third inning of Wednesday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, with Dalton Rushing stepping in as a pinch-hitter. This occurred after the SportsNet LA broadcast showed Smith fouling a ball off his right hand in the second inning behind the plate.

The Dodgers announced that Smith left the game because of a right-hand contusion. He is expected to undergo testing to assess the full extent of a possible hand injury.

He entered Wednesday’s game at PNC Park with a batting line of .297/.406/.499, including nineteen doubles, seventeen home runs, and sixty-one RBI. The Dodgers have carefully managed Smith’s playing time during the season to prevent the second-half slump in performance that he has increasingly experienced in recent years.

However, after the game, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shared what he considered the best-case scenario for Smith and the team, as he’ll be listed as day-to-day.

“From what I understand, he’s sore. There’s some swelling, got an X-ray. X-ray is negative, so that’s a positive. Day-to-day, but yeah, it’s going to be hard to imagine him in there [Thursday].”

With Smith avoiding a more serious injury, his return to the lineup will likely depend on his pain tolerance and hand swelling.

While the Dodgers assess Smith’s hand, they’re likely to call up a minor league catcher for their taxi squad.

The move will likely be for catcher Ben Rortvedt, who was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays at the trade deadline in exchange for long-time minor league catcher Hunter Feduccia.

OKC Rehab Roundup: Kyle Hurt, Tommy Edman & Alex Vesia

As has been the case multiple times this season, multiple major league players are currently rehabbing with the Triple-A OKC Comets.

This week, the trio of Kyle Hurt, Alex Vesia, and Tommy Edman are all with the Comets as they work their way back for a mid-September return off the injured list.

Hurt, 27, missed all of last season and most of this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The righty has worked his way back to finally throwing a minor league inning, albeit in the Dodgers’ Arizona League.

Hurt tossed one inning, allowing one run, one hit, and one walk, but that was the lone damage on his outing.

Hurt mentioned that he’s built up to two innings, and that’s about where he’ll be at this season, with little time to continue his ramp-up.

Another pitcher joining the Comets this week is lefty Alex Vesia, who made his first appearance sitting on the 15-day injured list with a right oblique strain.

Vesia tossed a scoreless 1-2-3 inning versus Sugar Land yesterday and collected one punchout on a 94 MPH fastball.

Vesia is in line to return to the Dodgers by next homestand.

After dealing with a lingering right ankle injury all season, utilityman Tommy Edman has finally kicked off his minor league rehab assignment.

Edman will exclusively play designated hitter and center field for the Comets, as the Dodgers are preparing for him to take over that position upon his activation.

Overall, Edman is hitless in five at-bats for the Comets but has put the ball in play in all but one of his plate appearances.

If all goes well, Edman will likely rejoin the team on the next homestand versus the Colorado Rockies.

Around the Diamond

• Third baseman Max Muncy will head to OKC this week to begin his minor league rehab assignment. Could rejoin the team during next week’s homestand.
• Roki Sasaki was able to complete five innings during his last rehab start but allowed four earned runs (two home runs ), and it’s unclear whether he’ll rejoin the team this season.

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