The Dodgers aren’t moving away from Dalton Rushing behind the plate for Shohei Ohtani’s next outing.
Dave Roberts said Friday that Ohtani’s next pitching start will “most likely” feature Rushing as his catcher, even after a messy night between the two during Wednesday’s series finale against the Minnesota Twins. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reported the same outlook, and the club appears content to keep the pairing intact.
The tension showed up in a few different ways against Minnesota. Twice, Rushing and Ohtani were not aligned on ABS challenge decisions. Then came another moment that stood out even more: a crossed-up pitch led to a passed ball and a run, and Rushing’s frustration with Ohtani was visible.
Roberts said there had been continued conversations heading into the weekend series against the San Diego Padres, including talks that involved Freddie Freeman, Roberts and pitching coach Mark Prior speaking with Rushing in the dugout on the SportsNet LA broadcast. Still, Roberts played down the situation.
After the game, Rushing owned each of the incidents and said he would be better.
The 25-year-old has been the Dodgers’ primary catcher since June 6, with Will Smith out because of neck inflammation. Smith was initially expected to miss only one game after being scratched with neck stiffness, but the absence has stretched to three weeks.
Los Angeles gave Smith a cortisone injection for the lingering discomfort, and as of June 24 he still had not resumed baseball activities. There is no timeline for his return.
Smith, a 31-year-old in his eighth season, caught all 10 of Ohtani’s starts before the injury.
Ohtani has struggled since Rushing became his battery mate, though the Dodgers’ situation isn’t that simple. There are other factors involved beyond the switch behind the plate. And it’s worth remembering that last season, Ohtani posted a 0.61 ERA in the five starts Rushing caught.
Rushing said the moment against the Twins was embarrassing for him, and he appreciated the backing he got from coaches and teammates. He also admitted the game didn’t go well on either side of the ball, and that his actions called for an in-game conversation.
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