ThinkBlue LA has learned from a trusted source that 24-year-old catcher Will Smith has been called up to the Dodgers to (apparently) replace 29-year-old / five-year MLB veteran catcher Austin Barnes, who left Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates for what was being called left groin soreness.

At Triple-A Oklahoma City, Smith was hitting .290 / .404 / .551 / .954, with eight home runs, two triples, and eight doubles. He has also driven in 28 runs for the Dodgers Triple-A affiliate.

This past spring, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman called Smith “A Hall of Fame catcher.” It appears that Smith’s journey to Cooperstown has (unofficially) begun. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

On the season Barnes was slashing .231 / .345 / .393 / .738, with four home runs and four doubles, while driving in 14.

There has been no official confirmation from the Dodgers on the move yet, or if Barnes has, in fact, been placed on the injured list.

Stay tuned…

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Updated May 27, 2019 at 2:35 pm PT

The move has been confirmed by the Dodgers. Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes has been placed on the 10-day injured list and catcher Will Smith has been called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City.

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