Among the many injury hurdles the Los Angeles Dodgers faced throughout the 2026 season, Will Smith's three-month absence proved to leave the biggest hole. 

Though he hit .290 in the final month of the season, those numbers have not translated to postseason play. In five games played between the National League Division Series and the National League Championship Series, Smith is 1-for-19 with one walk and seven strikeouts.

Still, the 31-year-old backstop is confident he has enough time to put it together and be ready to have productive at-bats when it counts. 

"I still feel good up there, swinging at the right pitches, taking good pitches, just barely missing balls," Smith told the media ahead of Game 2 of the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers via The Bleed Los Podcast. 

And it's true. Smith is just barely missing good contact with baseballs. 

During the Dodgers' 2-1 series opening loss to the Brewers, Smith was the only hitter who had three plate appearances that registered in the hard-hit category — 95 mph off the bat — in his three at-bats on Sunday. 

He went 0-for-3 with one walk. 

In the midst of the postseason, all offensive struggles have been linked back to Shohei Ohtani one way or another. But when you compare the numbers side by side with those at the top of the lineup, Smith is right there with his teammate. 

Will that grant yet another change for the Dodgers starting lineup? 

"It's a fair question, but right now, I still like him at the top of the order," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said following the loss on Sunday via The Bleed Los Podcast. 

A fair assumption indeed, and one that could be brought up for debate, but Smith's struggles are just the tip of the iceberg when the pie chart is presented. 

Game 1 was going exactly as planned for Los Angeles. They managed to knock out Jacob Misiorowski from the game before he could record five innings, and even managed to score a run on him in that time frame. 

But when the Brewers' steady bullpen kicked in, the Dodgers would finish off the game hitting .226 and slugging .261 with an on-base percentage of .351 (7-for-31). 

There are many holes in this Dodgers lineup despite the names that dawn the field every day. Smith could be pointed to as the blame for that, but the remainder of those batting at the top of the lineup are just as in the red.

Already down one game in the NLCS and with the Brewers' pitching starting rotation taking full shape after Misiorowski, the clock is ticking for the Dodgers' offense.