Smith said the ankle injury did not factor into his drop-off, but the Dodgers say otherwise: "There’s been some nagging stuff."

Catcher Will Smith did not make his first Cactus League appearance until Friday night as he nursed a lingering ankle issue -- and as it turns out, he's been dealing with it for quite some time. Smith

The catcher says the discomfort in his left ankle affects him mainly when running, but might have assisted in his second-half hitting slump last year

Many believe the only thing that can stop the Los Angeles Dodgers this upcoming season are injury issues. They overcame those problems in their pitching staff and still won the 2024 World Series, but repeating as champions is arguably the most difficult thing a major sports franchise can accomplish.