The Los Angeles Dodgers have picked up a trending issue in the lineup: catching.
Will Smith has been out of action since June after discovering an inflamed disc in his neck. More recently, Dalton Rushing was sent to the injured list in early August after revealing that he has a partial tear of the UCL in his throwing elbow.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed after sending Rushing to the IL that the odds of Dalton Rushing catching again in 2026 are “very small,” with the hope that he is wrong.
Rushing believes this isn’t the case, as The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya revealed.
“I don’t have to go lay on a table and get my arm cut open,” Rushing said after the Dodgers’ win over the Kansas City Royals on Monday. “That’s a good thing. That’s where we’re at right now.”
More Details on Dalton Rushing’s Injury
GettyAfter discovering the partial tear in the UCL of his throwing elbow, Dalton Rushing was not surprised by the injury diagnosis. He will need at least a month of rest before learning whether or not he will return at some point in 2026. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Although there is hope that Dalton Rushing will appear in the lineup again in 2026, the newly revealed setback will require an extended period before answers are found.
Rushing will be shut down for another three weeks, according to MLB.com’s Sonja Chen. After this period, he will test the setback in starting a hitting program.
The partial ligament tear in his throwing elbow wasn’t a surprise to Rushing after officially learning about it.
“From a structural standpoint, we had a history a little bit of it,” Rushing said. “(The Dodgers) were aware of it. Everyone was aware of it. I think that’s what popped up as of recently on scans and kind of threw up a red flag for some people. But as far as the feel of it, we’re worried about the muscle side of it that surrounds it. That’s what we’re going to rehab.”
Although surgery isn’t something Rushing wants to pursue, it’s still an option for the 25-year-old while dealing with his first major injury since making his MLB debut in 2025, Chen added.
Before discovering the setback, Rushing’s hitting stats in 2026 are .253/.335/.475 with 12 home runs and 36 RBI. He was set up with a great opportunity while the Dodgers’ usual starter at catcher, Will Smith, is on the injured list with his own long-term injury.
Dodgers Lean on Rortvedt, Feduccia at Catcher Moving Forward
GettyThe Los Angeles Dodgers traded for catchers Ben Rortvedt (pictured) and Hunter Feduccia to help fill in at the position while Will Smith and Dalton Rushing recover from long-term injuries. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Now without their top two catchers, the Los Angeles Dodgers will lean on Ben Rortvedt and Hunter Feduccia to handle the position.
Rortvedt, 28, was re-acquired by the Dodgers in a trade with the New York Mets. Los Angeles sent starting pitcher Chayce McDermott to New York in exchange. Rortvedt is already familiar with the Dodgers, replacing Will Smith at catcher in Los Angeles’ World Series run in 2025.
In four games last October, Rortvedt hit .429/.500/.571.
Los Angeles added Hunter Feduccia and minor league pitcher Jacob Kmatz in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Dodgers sent minor league outfielder Jack Suwinski and international bonus pool money in return.
Feduccia, 29, began his major league career with the Dodgers in 2024 before getting traded to the Rays at the 2025 trade deadline. Feduccia has appeared in six games for the Dodgers so far in 2026, batting .273/.333/.364.
Dodgers’ Dalton Rushing Reveals New Update Amid Team’s Catching Issue