NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: METS VS DODGERS

October 17, 2024

Will Smith

Citi Field

Los Angeles Dodgers

Pregame 4 Press Conference

Q. I know we talked a little bit about it last night, but just those two hits and kind of the results you saw yesterday, do you feel like you potentially unlocked something at the plate? And how do you look to build off the results of yesterday, you personally?

WILL SMITH: So, yeah, got two hits. Big one in the second inning, I guess. I don't know. I felt fine the whole postseason at the plate. So I was just trying to keep that going.

Q. With Yoshinobu today, what really stood out to you about just going from Game 1 of the NLDS, then to Game 5, and how are you hoping to just to see him continue that tonight?

WILL SMITH: Yeah, I think the second start, he was able to settle in a little better. That's what I'm going to look to do, get him settled in, get through the first couple of innings, see where he's at. I expect him to come out there and attack and compete and give us a good start.

Q. I know Freddie's not in the lineup today. How impressive is what he's been able to do this postseason in being on the field and playing in games with what he's got?

WILL SMITH: Yeah, very impressive. He's in a lot of pain out there. You can see it when he's running and all that. But he's inspiring us as players, as a teammate. Willing to put his body on the line. It's impressive. It gets us going. We love when he's in there. He's been swinging it good for us. Unfortunately he's not in there today, but I know he's back in there tomorrow.

Q. As far as watching him do the work, I saw a thing where he said it was taking him four hours to get ready of treatment just to be able to play. When you guys see that, what does that tell you and how inspiring for the team is that?

WILL SMITH: That's just who he is. He's a competitor. He hates being told he can't go out there and compete. He's always willing to do whatever he can to go out there and give us the best shot to win.

As a teammate, that's a guy you want on your side. He's a fighter. It's just a guy you want to go into battle with us.

Q. In all your years with the Dodgers, have you ever seen more adversity, players hurt, people filling in, stepping up, than you have this season?

WILL SMITH: Probably not. It's been a lot of guys. Pitchers, position players, everybody. Seems like everybody's been battling something. It's been a lot. But, I don't know, it's tough. But we've been able to get through it. Guys have had to step up. It's what we do. It's the Dodgers. Go out there and compete and try to win.

Q. The bullpen usage has been massive obviously this postseason, and you've had a couple of bullpen games. Maybe one in Game 6. As a catcher, what does that mean for your preparation to prepare and know so many guys on any given day that will be pitching that night?

WILL SMITH: My preparation doesn't really change. I just go one pitch at a time with those guys. But they've been nails. They've been really good just going out and executing, putting guys away and putting up zeros. They're doing really well right now. Just trying to keep them going.

Q. With four shutouts in the last five games, how is game planning part of that? How much does game planning change in the postseason? Are you able to get more intense and deeper about it?

WILL SMITH: Yes and no. It's a lot of conversations with Danny, with Mark, with Connor and Bardo, with the pitchers. We know how to attack them. Just in the game it's going out and executing it.

That's ultimately what we've done really well, just executing pitches, getting ahead of guys, putting guys away, getting lead contact, just doing all the little things that add up to zeros and add up to, I guess, shutouts and whatever.

Q. When you played the Mets earlier in the regular season, what do you think the biggest difference is between that team and the one you're facing right now?

WILL SMITH: I don't know. They're a good ballclub. Faced them earlier, but still thought they were a good ballclub. Yeah, I don't know.

Q. You've had your ups and downs offensively both in the regular season and here in October. Is there anything with your swing that you're particularly concerned about that you're working on right now?

WILL SMITH: There's always things you're working on throughout the year. Yeah, there's some stuff right now I'm working on, just to try to clean some stuff up. That's part of it.

The body changes a little bit. Fields change. Obviously the pitchers are really good. It's just a fight. It just kind of is what it is.

But I go up there with every at-bat, try to swing at the right pitches and try to do something good and move the ball.