Yankees star David Bednar credited Dodgers' Will Smith for key involvement in WBC finals appearance

Will Smith is having himself a fine few months. First, he hit one of the most clutch home runs in Major League Baseball history, lifting the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7 of the World Series.

Then, he took over as Team USA's starting catcher during the World Baseball Classic, leading one of the most stacked teams in the tournament to the final. Along the way, he got some gaudy praise from a fellow All-Star.

"Will Smith called a great game all night," closer David Bednar said after the U.S. narrowly escaped their semifinals matchup agains the Dominican Republic by a score of 2-1. "[The whole team] has a lot of trust in him."

He's not always the most revered member on baseball's best (and most expensive) roster, but Smith has clearly staked his claim as one of the best backstops in baseball.

Will Smith's World Series, World Baseball Classic heroics set stage for huge 2026 season

It should be noted that Smith didn't usurp just anyone for the role of Team USA's starting catcher; he displaced Cal Raleigh, the superstar catcher who hit 60 home runs and finished second in AL MVP voting last year.

Now, Raleigh didn't do himself any favors by going 0-for-9 in his first three WBC games — and Smith's .621 OPS during the tournament wasn't much to write home about either — but it's clear that the pitching staff chose their preferred backstop once the elimination games started. Even as his offense faltered, Smith was integral in calling brilliant games as the U.S. held the high-powered offense of Canada (three runs), the Dominican Republic (one), and Venezuela (three) to seven total runs over three games.

Smith is already a three-time All-Star and owner of a $140 million contract, so he didn't need these kinds of moments to certify his status as one of the best catchers in the game. They certainly help out his legacy, though, as well as bring him further into the national spotlight, which is hard to do when you play on the same teams as Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge.

A career .264/.358/.476 (128 wRC+) hitter, the soon-to-be 31-year-old will be a crucial piece of the Dodgers' bid for a three-peat in 2026. After suffering through a nail-biting defeat in the WBC finals and still somehow searching for his first career Silver Slugger award, Smith will be playing this season with an extra chip on his shoulder. That should be terrifying news for the rest of the league.