The Los Angeles Dodgers recalled Eliezer Alfonzo from Triple-A Oklahoma City and put Dalton Rushing on the 10-day injured list prior to Sunday’s game against the Washington Nationals.
Rushing’s IL stint was backdated to Sept. 5, when he was scratched from the lineup due to right elbow discomfort. The official designation for Rushing’s injury is right elbow discomfort.
“He was doing some early throwing today, and the elbow flared up,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after Saturday’s game. “So we’ll kind of put a pin in throwing for now and he’ll get some imaging. But I still believe hitting is on the table. We’ll just see how it feels.”
Roberts had not yet spoken with the media on Sunday at the time the Dodgers announced Rushing was put back on the injured list. He’s attempting to navigate a slight tear in the UCL of his right elbow that as Roberts noted, the club believes Rushing can still be available to hit through.
Rushing first was put on the injured list Aug. 3 and he surprisingly was part of the team’s moves when active rosters expanded on Sept. 1. Rushing appeared off the bench in the first four games he was active this month, and then had initially been penciled in to start Saturday.
Rushing went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and reached via a hit by pitch in his four appearances off the bench.
Eliezer Alfonzo back with Dodgers
Given that Rushing already was a third catcher on the roster, the Dodgers could have looked outside the position as the corresponding move. Though, it can be presumed much like with their decision to add Alex Freeland instead of an outfield prospect, the Dodgers weighed 40-man roster implications.
Alfonzo already was on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster by way of being added back in July. Alfonzo played in 12 games during his first stint with the Dodgers.
His return does give the team some flexibility with Hunter Feduccia, who conceivably could be used as a left-handed bat off the bench much in the way Rushing had been. Feduccia doesn’t have the same offensive profile as Rushing, but has swung the bat well since getting traded to the Dodgers before the deadline.
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