The Los Angeles Dodgers evened a four-game series against their National League West rival the San Francisco Giants on Thursday, May 14. The final score was 5-2, after pitcher Emmet Sheehan delivered one of his best outings of 2026.
Behind the plate for the Dodgers was not all-star Will Smith, but instead second-year catcher Dalton Rushing.
Rushing, 25, had a hot start to the season with a batting average of .529 and four home runs in his first five games of the season. However, he had a rough night at the plate, going 0-for-3 with a walk and three strikeouts.
After his second strikeout in the bottom of the fourth, Rushing broke a bat over his knee coming into the dugout. Following his third strikeout, he spared the bat, but hit himself on the helmet repeatedly with another.
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Dalton Rushing’s Dodger Teammates Hold Back Laughter After Strikeout vs. Giants
Following Dalton Rushing’s moment of rage after striking out, the 25-year-old has received a bit of criticism on social media for his out burst.
His teammates, starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan, Justin Wrobleski, and Tommy Edman were shown holding back laughter after Rushing’s third strikeout of the night in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Earlier, while Sheehan was still on the hill, he came over after Rushing snapped a bat over his knee to give his catcher words of encouragement after his meltdown.
“He was frustrated, obviously, with his at-bat, and I just wanted to let him know he’s good and we still have work to do,” Sheehan stated after the game.
While Rushing is still navigating his time in the big leagues, it seems as if Rushing’s teammates are still trying to get their young catcher’s emotions in check.
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Los Angeles Dodgers Received Harsh Criticism Following Rushing And Giants’ Jung Hoo-Lee Incident in April
In the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants first meeting back in April, Dalton Rushing received his first bit of criticism following a lip-reading fiasco with Jung Hoo-Lee.
A lip-reading expert claimed that Rushing said “F–k ’em” to Hoo-Lee following an awkward slide at the plate where he appeared to get injured. The next game, Giants’ pitcher Logan Webb nailed Rushing with an inside fastball, sparking conversations on whether or not it was intentional.
Since the incident with Hoo-Lee, Rushing has made headlines in a negative light. Even claiming that he has been given the ‘villain’ label for his recent antics.
After the Dodgers’ series with the Giants, they faced the Chicago Cubs back in LA, where yet again, Rushing appeared to use vulgar language at an opposing player.
Rushing was seen calling Cubs’ Miguel Amaya a “fat f–k” after a successful stolen base.
Amaya’s teammate, Nico Hoerner came to his defense later saying that he wishes he confronted Rushing for his behavior.
While it’s clear that Rushing is very talented young player, his recent behavior has been catching the eye of the media more than his performance at the plate. Rushing isn’t an every day starter, but has found himself in an important role as Will Smith’s backup catcher and DH when Ohtani needs a rest day.
Dodgers’ Catcher Dalton Rushing Faces Backlash For Meltdown During Giants Game