Dalton Rushing’s Emotional Season with the Dodgers
This season, Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing has established a couple of notable patterns. The first is his tendency to lose his temper over a bad at-bat or a frustrating play behind the plate. The second is Jomboy Media, a baseball-focused online platform, capturing these instances and sharing them widely, earning Rushing a reputation as one of the league’s more controversial figures.
During an interview on “Petros and Money” on AM570, Rushing addressed this situation for the first time. Even though he’s taking a break from social media and mentioned that he prefers not to see his emotional outbursts get broadcasted, he acknowledged, “I know JonBoy is making some money off me” with all the content he produces.
“I’ll throw it out there,” Rushing commented. “He’s definitely excited. But honestly, he’s not my biggest concern.”
Jomboy Media, founded by Jimmy O’Brien in 2017, started with simple lip-reading videos of MLB games. Now, it serves as an influential media outlet with a strategic partnership with Major League Baseball. Rushing has become a focal point for their content, with his antics turning into viral videos this season, ranging from breaking his bat in the dugout to heated exchanges with opponents.
Reflecting on these moments, Rushing said, “I wouldn’t say I’m trying to do that. It’s more about the competitive nature of the game. When you get into that mindset, it’s like your body takes control, and you just play your hardest.”
While both Rushing and the Dodgers are encouraging him to manage his emotions better, they also feel that his portrayal online doesn’t accurately represent his character. For instance, after a widely critiqued incident with Shohei Ohtani last month, Rushing’s teammates rallied around him, with Freddie Freeman declaring, “We all love Dalton… We just want people to see the Dalton Rushing you don’t see on TV, because he’s great.”
Another recent highlight for Rushing was a walk-off single he hit after a bench-clearing incident during the game. Following this, JonBoy’s Talkin’ Baseball podcast remarked, “You’re not going to believe who’s in the middle of another controversy,” in reference to his clash with Rockies player Cole Carrig.
His actions have not gone unnoticed; after his latest walk-off, the Dodgers’ official account seemed to join in on the fun, teasing, “You’re not going to believe who’s involved in another walk-off.”
Rushing has often played down the significance of his social media fame, suggesting that it comes with being a big leaguer, which is why he’s working on managing his emotions. Yet, he is clearly aware of how platforms like John Boy amplify his on-field behavior.
During his radio interview regarding JonBoy, snippets were shared widely on social media, further highlighting the connection between his on-field actions and the online buzz they generate.
