Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts addressed Will Smith's injury status and Shohei Ohtani's upcoming schedule at a team press conference on June 9, 2026.
Roberts said Smith's IL placement is now a genuine consideration. "The IL is more of a possibility when you're talking about, as a position player, it's 10 days and then the back date thought — we're starting to talk about that," he noted. Smith's neck and back issue appeared suddenly with no known cause, and Roberts acknowledged the side affected remained unclear even to him. Smith hit and played catch on June 9 but still does not feel right, and Roberts added, "I would like him to go through a full day before he plays, so that would probably take tomorrow off the table," effectively ruling out a June 10 return. Roberts also stated he consulted with trainers about Smith's condition throughout the day.
On Ohtani, Roberts confirmed a two-way appearance for June 10, stating simply, "Tomorrow he'll go both ways. Yes." He added that he has not yet decided whether Ohtani will receive a day off after that. Separately, Roberts mentioned he consulted with Bardo, who indicated the pitching staff is in good shape, and explained the Dodgers brought in extra players as a precaution because several pitchers had thrown heavily in recent outings ahead of upcoming squad games.
Roberts praised Freddie Freeman as a leader by example in the clubhouse, saying Freeman does not say a great deal but that everyone follows how he goes about his work. Roberts said Freeman spent his entire career in Atlanta before joining the Dodgers, calling that transition an adjustment. Roberts stated Freeman is two hits away from 2,500 career hits and called the milestone "huge," adding, "longevity, consistency, the guy doesn't ever duck anyone and 2,500's a big number" — a testament, he said, to essentially 20 years of Major League Baseball. Roberts also highlighted Dalton's development as a positive, explaining, "his at-bat quality is getting more consistent — the production is there." On opposing pitcher Ski, Roberts described him as a hyper-competitor with elite velocity and a difficult splitter, calling him a number one starter and advising his hitters to temper down rather than match Ski's energy to avoid becoming too aggressive. Roberts also stated that Andy's wins above replacement and production warrant a top-three position in center field for All-Star consideration.
Roberts said he hopes the team marks Freeman's milestone with a celebration, stating, "I hope we do a little champagne toast tonight in honor of that."