Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing said Tuesday that not only is he back as a hitter, but he’s working toward a return to catching despite suffering a torn UCL earlier this season.
Rushing told Dodgers Nation’s Noel Sanchez and other reporters before Tuesday’s game that he’s working to get back behind the plate and is even throwing 90 to 100 feet, a marked progression in his recovery from injury.
“Honestly, I don’t really have a set date for when I’m catching, nor a set timeframe,” he said. “Whatever they tell me to do throwing-wise, I’ve kind of said, ‘Yes sir,’ and went with it. But it’s up to me to be as transparent as possible with them on how it’s feeling, and that will create the next step of how we go about this. Do we speed up the process, or do we slow it down? I’m just thankful that I have an opportunity to help this team.”
Where has Dalton Rushing been?
Rushing, who’s handled the duties of being the team’s top catcher for much of starting catcher Will Smith’s absence, suffered a slight tear in his ulnar collateral ligament earlier this season and had what manager Dave Roberts called a “very small” chance of catching again in 2026.
Despite that, he’s worked himself back and now feels like he’s “been progressing really well” in his week or so back throwing.
“I’m very confident in returning behind the plate,” he said.
All of that said, Rushing won’t be back in behind the plate in the next few days, leaving Hunter Feduccia to back up Smith now that he’s back in action.
Rushing said he’s excited to get back in action.
“I like playing baseball; I don’t like watching baseball,” he said. “That’s the main thing for me: just being able to be on the field again. Playing this role brings a lot of ups and downs and it’s hard sometimes, but essentially I’d rather play this role than be watching for nine innings.”
What Dalton Rushing brings to the Dodgers
Rushing’s catching services will certainly be appreciated, but even before he comes back on defense, his bat will be a welcome addition to a struggling Dodgers batting order.
He’s hitting .253/.335/.475/.809 this season with 12 home runs and 36 RBIs, providing 1.4 bWAR in limited opportunities. Smith, for reference, has a bWAR of 0.9.
Stats like that allow him to fill a couple of roles on the Dodgers roster.
First, he can spell Smith when the starting catcher needs a night off, limiting wear and tear ahead of a punishing postseason.
Secondly, he can hit well enough to also fill in for superstar Shohei Ohtani as designated hitter when he needs a break.
While his on-field impact is huge, Rushing offers more than just catching and hits.
His hard-nosed attitude has drawn praise and condemnation from the baseball world, but his competitive fire is impossible to ignore.
For a team that’s seemed mentally out of sync at times, having Rushing to complement Smith behind the plate could be exactly what the Boys in Blue need.