This year has been quite unusual for Dalton Rushing, the Dodgers’ catcher.
And things took an even weirder turn on Sunday.
During the second inning of a 5-1 victory over the Brewers, Rushing hit a ball off pitcher Brandon Sproat. As soon as the umpire made the call, Milwaukee’s catcher, William Contreras, instantly signaled for a challenge.
Caught on camera, Rushing could be seen saying, “That’s the ball,” while shaking his head at Contreras.
Replays later confirmed that the pitch was actually a strike and not remotely close to being a ball. As the broadcasters commented, Rushing’s reaction—essentially scolding Contreras for the challenge—suggested they weren’t too pleased.
While the play itself might not have been a significant moment, it added another layer to Rushing’s growing reputation for being involved in controversial on-field situations. This season, he’s made a name for himself, proving to be one of the team’s standout hitters with seven home runs and 17 RBIs in just 27 games.
In fact, he’s made headlines multiple times this season. For example, he accused the Rockies of being “shady” during a series in Denver and caught an F-bomb directed at Giants outfielder Jung-Hoo Lee after a collision at the plate.
Following an incident with the Giants where he got hit, Rushing managed to smooth things over by admitting he was wrong, yet his reputation was already starting to form.
“You really don’t want to be the player that opposing teams dislike for the wrong reasons,” Rushing explained. “You want them to dread facing you because of your skills, not because of what you say.”
He added, “Having played football for half my life, I approach competition a bit differently.”
