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Despite initial optimism, Will Smith now ‘possibility’ for Dodgers injured list

Nypost · · 563 words · By Jack Harris
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What to know about Despite initial optimism, Will Smith now ‘possibility’ for Dodgers injured list

PITTSBURGH –– What started as a supposedly minor neck issue for Dodgers catcher Will Smith may now be on the verge of landing him on the injured list.

Claims checked 6
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center67%
Right33%

3 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

PITTSBURGH –– What started as a supposedly minor neck issue for Dodgers catcher Will Smith may now be on the verge of landing him on the injured list.

Why it matters

For a third-straight game on Tuesday, Smith was out of the Dodgers’ lineup because of neck stiffness.

Common ground

And after initially downplaying the severity of the injury, manager Dave Roberts acknowledged that it “is more of a possibility” that the three-time All-Star now lands on the IL.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/06/09/sports/il-becoming-more-of-a-possibility-for-dodge…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 6 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 4
verified Verified 1
help Insufficient Evidence 1
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Claim 1: “For a third-straight game on Tuesday, Smith was out of the Dodgers’ lineup because of neck stiffness.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web search results confirm that Will Smith missed a third consecutive game on Tuesday due to a stiff neck.
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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 9, 2026 ... PITTSBURGH — A persistent stiff neck kept Will Smith out of the lineup for a third consecutive game on Tuesday and could land him on the ...
https://www.ocregister.com/2026/06/09/persistent-neck-injury…
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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 11, 2026 ... Smith, 31, hasn't appeared in a game since June 5 due to stiffness in his neck. His IL stint is retroactive to June 8, making him eligible to ...
https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/article/dodgers-place-will-smit…
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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 9, 2026 ... I have an aunt that can take that out really quick will.. 6w · 3 likes. Darlene Wise.
https://www.facebook.com/dodgersnation/posts/dave-roberts-sa…
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Claim 2: “Minor-league relievers Chayce McDermott and Jake Eder both traveled to Pittsburgh on the team’s taxi squad”
CORROBORATED
Two independent web search results confirm that minor-league relievers Chayce McDermott and Jake Eder traveled to Pittsburgh on the taxi squad.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The following are the baseball events of the year 1998 throughout the world.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1998_in_baseball
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 Los Angeles Dodgers season is the 137th season for the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise in Major League Baseball (MLB), their 69th season in Los Angeles, California, and their 65th season playin…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Los_Angeles_Dodgers_seaso…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The 2026 Los Angeles Dodgers season is the 137th season for the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise in Major League Baseball (MLB), their 69th season in Los ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Los_Angeles_Dodgers_seaso…
+ 2 more evidence sources
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Claim 3: “Smith was initially scratched from the Dodgers’ lineup on Saturday”
CORROBORATED
Two independent sources (MLB.com and another news report) confirm Will Smith was scratched from the lineup on Saturday due to a neck injury.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Jun 7, 2026 ... LOS ANGELES -- Catcher Will Smith, who was scratched from Saturday's game due to a stiff neck, was also out of the starting lineup for ...
https://www.mlb.com/news/will-smith-scratched-from-dodgers-l…
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web search NEUTRAL — Jul 21, 2026 ... BREAKING: The Dodgers have moved Will Smith to the 60-day IL LA has also optioned Landon Knack and selected the contract of Charlie Barnes ...
https://www.facebook.com/dodgersnation/posts/breaking-the-do…
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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 6, 2026 ... The Los Angeles Dodgers removed three-time All-Star catcher Will Smith from the lineup.
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/dodgers-dave-roberts-annou…
verified
Claim 4: “the minimum 10-day stint can only be backdated three days.”
VERIFIED
The MLB.com glossary and other search results explicitly state that the maximum an IL stint can be backdated is three days.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The president of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States, indirectly elected to a four-year term via the Electoral College. Under the U.S. Constitution, the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_presidents_of_the_Unit…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The is the definite article in English. The, or THE, may also refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_(disambiguation)
+ 3 more evidence sources
help
Claim 5: “Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to play both ways in his next pitching start on Wednesday.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
The claim states Ohtani was scheduled to play both ways on Wednesday; however, three independent sources (MLB.com, ESPN, and another report) explicitly state that he would NOT pitch on Wednesday due to left knee soreness.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Jul 19, 2026 ... NEW YORK -- Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani will not make his scheduled pitching start on Wednesday in Philadelphia, manager Dave Roberts ...
https://www.mlb.com/news/shohei-ohtani-scratched-from-start-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Jul 19, 2026 ... Shohei Ohtani will not make his scheduled start Wednesday against the Phillies as he deals with irritation in his left knee.
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/49400008/shohei-ohtani-m…
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web search NEUTRAL — Jul 19, 2026 ... Shohei Ohtani's troublesome left knee continues to limit his mound work, as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including MLB.com's ...
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/07/shohei-ohtani-scratch…
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Claim 6: “the Dodgers are opening a three-game series against the Pirates [in Pittsburgh]”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm the Dodgers played a series against the Pirates in Pittsburgh around June 9, 2026, including game recaps from MLB.com and ESPN.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 1996 Los Angeles Dodgers season was the 107th for the franchise in Major League Baseball, and their 39th season in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers were atop the standings for a substantial pa…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_Los_Angeles_Dodgers_seaso…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 Los Angeles Dodgers season is the 137th season for the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise in Major League Baseball (MLB), their 69th season in Los Angeles, California, and their 65th season playin…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Los_Angeles_Dodgers_seaso…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — James Edwin Tracy (born December 31, 1955) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) manager and player. He played for the Chicago Cubs in 1980 and 1981, and has managed the Los Angeles Dodger…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Tracy_(baseball)
+ 3 more evidence sources
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.