Will Smith Shines, Dodgers Even World Series vs Blue Jays

The Los Angeles Dodgers knotted up the 2025 World Series at one game each with a 5–1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. Catcher Will Smith ended up stealing the show.

Even with stars like Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Mookie Betts in the lineup, Smith’s clutch, multi-layered performance stood out. His work at the plate and behind it made you wonder why more people don’t talk about him as one of baseball’s best-kept secrets.

Will Smith’s Game 2 Breakthrough

With all the superstar stories swirling, Smith made his own mark. He went 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

Smith drove in the Dodgers’ first run with a two-out single in the opening inning. Later, he broke a tense 1–1 tie in the seventh with a go-ahead solo homer and tacked on another RBI with a fielder’s choice in the eighth.

It wasn’t just the hits; it was when they happened and how much they mattered. Both his first-inning single and seventh-inning homer came when the Dodgers really needed someone steady, and Smith just quietly got it done.

Supporting Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s Historic Feat

Smith worked closely with ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, guiding him to his second straight postseason complete game—a feat you almost never see anymore. Manager Dave Roberts praised Smith’s calm, preparation, and his knack for running the game from behind the plate.

For catchers, October is about more than hitting. Smith’s chemistry with Yamamoto looked like a masterclass in how to run a pitching staff.

A Postseason Return from Injury

Smith came into October still recovering from a nagging hand injury that had limited his catching late in the season. He jumped right back into full defensive duties in the playoffs and kept producing at the plate, hitting .314 with six RBIs in 40 plate appearances before Game 2.

Playing through pain has turned into one of Smith’s trademarks. For a catcher, staying productive in October is a big ask, but he keeps finding a way.

Regular Season Excellence in the Shadows

Smith’s regular-season stats tell a story, even if they don’t always make the headlines:

• .296 batting average
• .404 on-base percentage
• .497 slugging percentage
• 152 OPS+, which crushes league and positional averages

He gets on base, drives in runs, and hits for power. And he does all that while handling one of the toughest defensive jobs in baseball.

Contract Extension Lost in the Shuffle

Before 2024, the Dodgers signed Smith for 10 years and $140 million—a huge commitment by any standard. But with flashier moves for bigger names, hardly anyone talked about Smith’s extension.

That quiet deal seems to fit his whole story: steady, excellent, and somehow still under the radar.

One of Baseball’s Most Complete Catchers

Game 2 wasn’t just a win for the Dodgers. It was a reminder that Smith belongs with the game’s best catchers.

He combined offense, defense, and a calm that’s tough to teach. Even with so much star power around him, Smith keeps showing that the guys who come through in big spots are the ones you can’t win without.

The Takeaway

The 2025 World Series heads to Toronto for Game 3, and you’d think the spotlight would stay glued to the Dodgers’ MVP-level stars. Yet, anyone who’s watched enough championship baseball knows the real story sometimes unfolds around players like Will Smith — steady, clutch, and honestly, a bit underrated.

Smith’s Game 2 performance did more than just keep Los Angeles in the hunt. He showed, once again, why he ranks among the game’s most complete and overlooked catchers.

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Here is the source article for this story: Overshadowed Will Smith shines in Game 2 for Dodgers as Los Angeles evens World Series vs. Blue Jays