Building the perfect Dodgers lineup for 2021 season

Batting Fifth: Will Smith, C

The Dodgers will use Will Smith everyday in 2021.

Oh, look, another Dodger who can be represented by a photo of them socking a massively important postseason hit! It’s nice, isn’t it? This year, it’s all of them! Winning the World Series…it’s great!

Will Smith firmly established himself as the Dodgers’ catcher of the future in 2020, muddying the waters semi-significantly on Keibert Ruiz’s future. One or the other could very well be trade bait in the new year, but we’re betting on LA giving Smith a full year of runway to prove there was nothing fluky about his breakout before pulling the trigger. Hopefully, Ruiz gets a “normal” season spent mostly at Triple-A.

Smith represents yet another .400 OBP option the Dodgers can turn to, which is somewhat ridiculous from the catcher position, and he proved in the postseason that he doesn’t shy away from big moments and doesn’t need to be hidden in a lower-leverage spot in the order.

For now, Smith stays in the five hole and Ruiz stays off the big league roster — Clayton Kershaw gets to keep his personal catcher in Austin Barnes for at least one more season.