The Dodgers announced that catcher Daulton Rushing has been placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to September 5. Catcher Eliezer Alfonzo was recalled from Triple-A in the corresponding move. The official designation of Rushing’s injury is “right elbow discomfort,” which naturally stems from the partial ACL tear that sidelined the backstop for most of August. Los Angeles just activated Rushing from his previous IL stint on Sept. 1, and he appeared as a pinch-hitter in four games before being removed late as the original starting designated hitter in Saturday’s lineup. After Saturday’s game, manager Dave Roberts told Bill Plunkett of the Southern California Newspaper Group and other reporters that Rushing’s elbow “caught fire” during a pregame throwing session. There wasn’t much expectation that Rushing would return to catcher at some point this year, and this IL placement likely closes that door completely. Assuming Rushing is able to return to action, he will be limited to pinch-hitting duties against right-handed pitching, as Shohei Ohtani (once healthy) will reclaim the designated hitter spot. Such limited usage makes Rushing a question mark for the Dodgers’ postseason rosters, again assuming he’ll be ready to hit in October. It could be that this IL stint is simply a way to allow Rushing to fully recover from this current bout of soreness, so he will be ready for the playoffs and only focus on his preparation as a hitter, not a catcher. The former top prospect has enjoyed a breakthrough this year, hitting .249/.332/.466 with 12 home runs in 250 plate appearances. Rushing received more playing time than expected due to Will Smith’s extended time on the disabled list, and Rushing took advantage of the opportunity to establish himself as part of the Dodgers’ plans. The left-handed hitter has hit .259/.342/.506 in 184 PAs against right-handed pitchers, compared to a more modest slash line of .220/.303/.356 in 66 PAs against lefties.
