Dalton Rushing Gets a Fresh Start

Dalton Rushing is about to have a significant opportunity.

When Shohei Ohtani steps onto the mound for the Dodgers this Friday, Rushing will be there as the catcher.

Manager Dave Roberts confirmed this decision on Thursday, following a miscommunication between Rushing and Ohtani during a game last week in Minnesota, which resulted in a troublesome three-run inning.

Roberts expressed hope that this pairing can avoid similar mistakes moving forward. “They’re not quite aligned yet, which takes time,” he mentioned about the chemistry Rushing and Ohtani are still developing. They’ve been playing together as Will Smith deals with a neck injury.

Roberts noted, “Dalton knows that as a catcher, his role is to support the pitcher. It’s essential for him to get each pitcher on track. I’m optimistic everything will be sorted out.”

In a recent interview, Rushing took responsibility for the mishap, stating, “The last thing you want is a pitcher feeling unsupported.” He added, “We need to move on from it. I’ve had discussions with him. I would never say anything negative about a player like him. It’s my job to take this experience and learn from it, to ensure he can focus on his game.”

This Friday night, Rushing’s performance will be under scrutiny as they take on the Padres.

Ohtani has faced his share of challenges lately, dealing with knee issues and blister problems, but statistically, he has struggled more when pitching with Rushing. Ohtani has a 0.74 ERA over 61 innings with Smith but has a 4.34 ERA in 18 2/3 innings with Rushing, which adds to the significance of their upcoming match.

Last week, Rushing’s frustration became apparent, mainly due to inconsistency with their calls on pitches. He acknowledges the need for improvement in that area as they head into Friday’s game.

Now, Rushing has a chance to show he can bounce back and help lead Ohtani into a better performance.