Dalton Rushing of the Los Angeles Dodgers walks to the dugout during the game against the Philadelphia Phillies
Since Will Smith last played on June 5, Dalton Rushing has started 30 of the Dodgers last 42 games behind the plate, by far the busiest stretch of catching of his career, as he moved around often in the minors as a bat-first prospect, playing some designated hitter, some first base, and even left field, though those positions are now occupied on the major league team.
On the season, Rushing is hitting .246/.333/.463 with a 119 wRC+, and the Dodgers seem pleased with his progress on defense after getting thrust into a more regular role with Smith still expected out a long while. From Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register:
“He’s proven that he certainly can play here on an every-day basis,” Roberts said. “When you’re an every-day catcher, you don’t get to cherry-pick when you play. I can’t cherry-pick matchups for him. So he’s playing against really good pitchers. He’s catching different pitchers. So he’s growing.
“I think he’s also understanding that to play more you’ve got to manage your emotions more. It’s just hard to be hot and cold when you’re playing five days a week. It’s all a part of his growth, which has been fun for me to watch.”
“He’s proven that he certainly can play here on an every-day basis,” Roberts said. “When you’re an every-day catcher, you don’t get to cherry-pick when you play. I can’t cherry-pick matchups for him. So he’s playing against really good pitchers. He’s catching different pitchers. So he’s growing.
“I think he’s also understanding that to play more you’ve got to manage your emotions more. It’s just hard to be hot and cold when you’re playing five days a week. It’s all a part of his growth, which has been fun for me to watch.”
In that same article, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said the Dodgers aren’t looking for a frontline catcher at the trade deadline — one week from Monday — but that adding catching depth would be “helpful.”
Speaking of the trade deadline, Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times reports that acquiring two-time Cy Young Award-winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers is unlikely, that “the Dodgers don’t appear to be moving toward a trade for Skubal.”
José Mota was in the English-language radio booth this weekend in New York with Stephen Nelson, as Rick Monday was in Cooperstown as part of induction weekend at the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Monday was honored on Saturday during the 50th anniversary season of his stopping the burning of an American flag on the field at Dodger Stadium in 1976.
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