“Will Smith: Dodgers Catcher, unchecked for First-Ever All-Star Nomination”

The MLB season is moving along quickly, and the MLB All-Star voting will begin and end in about six weeks. It’s time to start discussing this year’s Midsummer Classic and which teams will be represented in Seattle.

As usual, the Dodgers will have their share of representatives, but one player is making a case to be there for the first time in his career. Catcher Will Smith is off to a phenomenal start for the 2023 season.

Smith is hitting.317/.412/.550 in 33 games, with seven home runs, 27 RBI, seven doubles, 22 walks and only 12 strikeouts. He has a great OPS of 962. However, the most surprising statistic is that the Dodgers are 23–10 when he plays and 8–10 when he doesn’t.

There are many excellent catchers in the National League, but Smith has done more than enough to earn a spot on the All-Star team, something he should have done in the previous two seasons.

In a recent article on Bleacher Report, Joel Reuter picked Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith as one of the most likely players to become a first-time All-Star this season.

Reuter expressed surprise at the fact: “that Smith has never received All-Star recognition despite his impressive career so far”

With four MLB seasons under his belt heading into the 2023 campaign, Smith boasts a career OPS+ of 130, indicating his strength at the plate.

Last year, he demonstrated his offensive abilities as one of the premier catchers in the game, hitting career-high numbers of 26 doubles, 24 home runs and 87 RBIs while accumulating 4.1 WAR.

These impressive stats strengthen Smith’s case for an All-Star selection, and it is hoped that he can finally get the recognition he deserves this season.

However, it is important to remember that the All-Star selection involves a combination of fan, player, and managerial voting, which can sometimes produce surprising results.

Due to an injury, he missed 13 games in April, so he does not presently have enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting title. However, he is still near the top of most offensive categories among catchers.

There were three catchers on the NL squad last year, accordingly Sean Murphy (ATL) appears to be a lock for a seat on the team while Elias Daz (COL), one of the few deserving rookie rivals, has an outside chance of being passed over once more.

Joel Reuter added: “Every Dodger fan will riot, in my opinion, if Smith is once again kept out of the All-Star Game. But fortunately, if he stays healthy, he stands a decent chance of making the team this year and earning the accolades he merits as one of baseball’s top catchers”