The Los Angeles Dodgers just hit us with a flurry of moves, activating catchers Will Smith and Dalton Rushing from the injured list. This isn’t just a simple roster shuffle; it’s a late-season gamble with some serious question marks hanging over it, especially when you dig into what’s going on with Rushing.
The Return of Smith, and Rushing’s Wild Twist
Will Smith, the Dodgers’ starting catcher, is finally back after almost three months away with an inflamed disk in his neck. That’s a huge chunk of the season he missed, playing only 52 games before getting sidelined. And honestly, it wasn’t even his best year before the injury, slashing just .249/.338/.382 with six homers and 23 RBI. That’s a down year for him, no doubt. But the real head-scratcher here is Dalton Rushing.
Rushing’s also been activated, which seems like good news on the surface. He’d actually been having a slightly better season at the plate than Smith, crushing 12 home runs and driving in 36 RBI with a .253/.335/.475 slash line in 74 games. But here’s the kicker: Rushing was out with elbow soreness, and after testing, it turns out he had a slight tear in his UCL. He managed to avoid surgery, which is a relief, but the big news is he’s expected to be done catching for the season. Wait, what? You activate a catcher but he can’t catch? Manager Dave Roberts is now in a tight spot. With Shohei Ohtani typically occupying the DH spot, it’s unclear how they’ll even use Rushing’s bat without messing with Ohtani’s lineup presence. That’s a wild card right there.
Dodgers’ Catching Woes and Surprising Success
While Smith and Rushing were out, the Dodgers had to rely on a combination of Hunter Feduccia and Ben Rortvedt behind the plate. Neither really stepped up to fill those shoes. Feduccia put up a decent .262 in his 20 games, but Rortvedt, who played in 16 games, was barely hitting above the Mendoza line at .185. It shows just how much production was missing from their primary backstops. In a corresponding move, Rortvedt was even designated for assignment, with Alex Freeland joining the roster and LHP Justin Wrobleski also getting activated. Outfielder Alek Thomas was optioned to Triple-A. Despite all these struggles and a rotating door behind the plate, the Dodgers have still managed to put up an incredible 82-55 record. They are sitting pretty in first place in the NL West, holding a hefty 9.5-game lead over the San Diego Padres. It makes you wonder how much stronger they’d be if their catchers had been healthy and producing all year.
So, the Dodgers are rolling into their series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals with some familiar faces back, but one of them comes with a massive asterisk. How they navigate Rushing’s bat without his glove for the rest of the season is going to be super interesting to watch.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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