Dodgers Could Make Risky Call on $140M Star to Solve Spiraling Woes

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ season was supposed to be about chasing another World Series, but lately, all eyes are on a problem at third base. Max Muncy is having a season both he and his fans would rather forget. With a .186 average through 32 games, it seems like age is catching up to the Dodgers’ third baseman. For a team that is gunning for a back-to-back World Series win, a hole at third is the last thing they would want.

But hold on, there is a wild and rather unconventional solution that could save the day for LA!

Enter Will Smith. No, not the Hollywood star, but the Dodgers’ star catcher. He is having something of a career year now, slashing. 318/.413/.494. These numbers are far superior when you see Muncy’s struggles. And for some, like Stephen Parello of FanSided, making a change seems to be the Dodgers’ smartest bet.

What Parello suggested could raise eyebrows, but it could also be just what the Dodgers’ lineup—move Smith to third base. Now you might think, “But he is a catcher? How can he manage the hot side?” As it turns out that Smith is no stranger to the infield, he has spent much of his minor league career at third base.

His last real experience at third came back in 2018. Parello wrote in FanSided, “It’s been a while, though. His last significant experience at the hot corner came in 2018, where he logged 43 games at the position across Double-A and Triple-A.” It’s been a minute since then, but given Smith’s leadership and his athleticism, the transition can be done smoothly. But there is a big question mark: what happens to his position then? Luckily, the Dodgers have depth, and they have Dalton Rushing. He has been heating Triple-A with his performance of .306/.419/.513. So he is ready and can take over as a full-time catcher.

Sure, this move suggested is bold and not without risk, but sometimes a little shakeup is needed. With their $140 million investment in Smith, if this risk works, this could power their offense.

Dodgers frustrated with injury woes

If you thought that it was just Muncy that the Dodgers might be frustrated with, think again. There seems to be a whole laundry list of players that are starting to rub the players the wrong way. Not just player slumps, the team is also dealing with missing players—Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell. And when your ace is unavailable, it does leave the team in a spot.

Glasnow, for instance, had big plans this season. He missed the postseason last time because of his elbow sprain, but this time he was focused on staying healthy. So he made mechanical adjustments to ensure he got back to his dominant self. Even Dave Roberts said he looked better heading into the season. But here they are a month later. Glasnow has been in the IL not once but twice now, with leg cramps and now with shoulder discomfort.

And Roberts? His stance has changed. Without mincing words, Roberts said, “There’s the mechanics piece of it. There’s being uncomfortable, not feeling right. I think we’re all just—as Tyler said it—very frustrated and trying to get to the bottom of it.” One doesn’t need to be an expert to read between the lines. But right now, the Dodgers are really holding their breath, with so many players heading to the IL. There is also news about the team wanting to get Sandy Alcantara in a trade.

Because it’s almost like déjà vu from the last season. Coming back this time, they were said to have an injury-prone team, and it’s quite literally visible. One thing is for sure—they did manage to handle the roster well enough last season, and they can do it again. But whether twice will be a charm is also a big question. What do you think?