The Los Angeles Dodgers suffered another injury when Dalton Rushing landed on the 10-day injured list due to a small tear in his right ulnar collateral ligament (UCL).
What’s next for Rushing remains up in the air, but the Dodgers are not counting on him to catch again this season, with manager Dave Roberts saying it’s unlikely.
The Dodgers could still use Rushing as a bat off the bench, but he would purely be limited to pinch-hitting, and being in the lineup as the designated hitter, a role that’s obviously held by Shohei Ohtani.
Rushing may ultimately need to undergo Tommy John surgery to repair his UCL, but the Dodgers are hoping to avoid that path. Instead, they are letting him rest for the next two weeks and then deciding what they will do from there.
That does beg the question of whether the Dodgers are wasting time and delaying the inevitable, which ends with Rushing undergoing surgery later and then missing more time next season.
“Fair question,” Roberts said. “I think over the next couple weeks, I think we’ll have a better idea of how he’s responding with time. And I think obviously that’s a Dalton question too. It’s organizational, but it’s doctor and kind of laying all the variables out, and then making a decision.
“But I do think there’s really not much cost outside of two weeks or whatever, to kind of wait and see how he responds to some treatment and stuff they decide to do.”
If Rushing were to undergo Tommy John surgery sooner, that would totally eliminate the chance he can contribute again this season. With their patient approach, there’s an incredibly small chance Rushing could catch again, but better likelihood they’ll have him as a bat on the bench.
“Just looking at the roster, having a potential left-handed bat could be really helpful,” Roberts said.
Rushing will not throw for the next four to six weeks, and he will undergo treatment over the next two weeks. That period is crucial to determining the next steps for the 25-year-old.
Dodgers catching situation
With Rushing and Will Smith both on the injured list, the Dodgers acquired Hunter Feduccia and Ben Rortvedt ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
The Dodgers hope Smith will return by September, and then he will resume his role as the starting catcher. For the meantime, Rortvedt is expected to get the majority of starts.
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