The Los Angeles Dodgers are facing a must-win in Game Three of the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday evening.
The good news for the Dodgers is that the series is shifting back to Los Angeles. Blake Snell will get the start for LA on Wednesday evening, and he will oppose Robert Gasser.
Before the game started, the Dodgers announced their Game Three lineup, which featured a major Will Smith decision.
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Will Smith Dropped in Los Angeles Dodgers Batting Order
When the Dodgers Game Three lineup dropped on Wednesday afternoon, it came with a few surprises.
In two big developments, Will Smith and Shohei Ohtani have dropped in the batting order.
Here is the full group, per @UnderdogMLB:
Dodgers 10/14: “M. Betts SS F. Freeman 1B T. Hernández LF K. Tucker RF A. Pages CF S. Ohtani DH W. Smith C M. Rojas 3B T. Edman 2B B. Snell SP”
M. Betts SS F. Freeman 1B T. Hernández LF K. Tucker RF A. Pages CF S. Ohtani DH W. Smith C M. Rojas 3B T. Edman 2B
B. Snell SP
The flip to Will Smith being demoted in the lineup is that Kyle Tucker has moved up several spots and will bat cleanup against the Brewers’ LHP Gasser.
Shohei Ohtani bats sixth, and Tommy Edman/Miguel Rojas are getting starts in the infield, while Max Muncy gets the pine.
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Taking a Quick Look at Will Smith’s 2026 Season
As did many of the Los Angeles Dodgers (at some point in 2026), Will Smith spent a good chunk of time on the Injured List with a neck issue.
He got a handful of starts down the stretch of the regular season, but he’s been really struggling at the plate in the MLB playoffs, and after moving him down for Game Two, manager Dave Roberts is now demoting him to the 7-spot in the lineup.
Perhaps it’s a wake-up call for Smith, but as the Dodgers search for the right lineup combination, having Smith (who is 1-for-20+) in the 3-hole just isn’t going to get things going.
It will be interesting to see if this decision pays off for Roberts and the rest of the Dodgers.
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