Following their disappointing elimination from World Series contention, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced an update on catcher Dalton Rushing.
Rushing, 25, was sidelined for the entire postseason with a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his throwing arm. The Dodgers’ second catcher on the roster tried to play through the injury as a designated hitter but never appeared in the postseason.
Today, the Dodgers announced that Rushing will undergo surgery to address the elbow injury, Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times wrote.
“It’s expected to be a hybrid internal brace procedure. The expected timeline to return to catching full time is 9 months, with a return to hitting well before then,” Lee added.
Dalton Rushing’s Boosted Opportunity Derailed by Elbow Injury
The Dodgers’ second-year catcher got a new opportunity as the team’s primary catcher. The team gave him this chance while Will Smith was sidelined with a lingering neck injury that kept the Dodgers’ top catcher out for nearly three months.
Rushing was up for the new challenge. Before suffering the UCL tear, Rushing was batting .245/.335/.475 with 12 home runs and 36 RBIs.
Will Smith would finally return to the Dodgers lineup on Sept. 1. Meanwhile, the Dodgers’ depth at catcher remained limited as Rushing became unable to play defense.
The nine-month recovery period for Dalton Rushing goes in line with a return to catching in late July 2027. A return to batting will be significantly earlier for the 25-year-old.
Offseason Surgery ‘Not on the Table’ For Shohei Ohtani
Throughout the Dodgers’ 2026 season, the health status of superstar Shohei Ohtani was an ongoing conversation. For the first time since joining the franchise in 2024, the team sent Ohtani to the 15-day injured list at the end of the regular season.
The designation was due to right biceps inflammation, left knee discomfort, and a neck issue. The biceps and knee injuries surfaced earlier in the season, leading manager Dave Roberts to give him regular days off.
As the Dodgers won’t be the World Series Champion for the first time since 2023, the option for surgery to address the lingering setbacks is “not on the table,” says Dodgers president Andrew Friedman.
The Dodgers president also added that he fully expects Ohtani “to pitch next year.”
The 32-year-old was shut down from pitching in early July. In the limited opportunity on the mound, Ohtani finished the 2026 season as a pitcher with an 8-2 record, 1.79 ERA, and 0.95 WHIP across 85.2 innings.
After back-to-back 50-home-run, 100-RBI seasons, the injuries limited Ohtani to 30 home runs and 81 RBIs in 2026.
The Dodgers superstar said he “definitely” plans on pitching next season.
“And looking forward to having a better season next year,” Ohtani added.
Dodgers Announce Dalton Rushing Elbow Injury Update