Dalton Rushing Returns to IL as Dodgers Rule Out Catching Again This Season
Dalton Rushing’s attempt to work his way back behind the plate this season is officially over.
The Los Angeles Dodgers placed Rushing on the 10-day injured list with right elbow discomfort, retroactive to Sept. 5, after his elbow flared up while playing catch before Saturday’s game against the Washington Nationals.
Catcher Eliezer Alfonzo was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City in the corresponding roster move.
The news is a setback for Rushing only five days after the Dodgers activated him from his previous IL stint.
There is, however, one potentially important distinction.
The Dodgers have not ruled out Rushing returning this season as a hitter.
Rushing’s Elbow Flared Up During Throwing Progression
Rushing has been dealing with a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow since early August.
When the Dodgers activated him on Sept. 1, the immediate plan was to use him strictly as a hitter while he continued a throwing progression on the side.
There was still some hope that progress could eventually lead to catching again.
That changed Saturday.
Rushing was playing catch from approximately 90 to 100 feet when the elbow began bothering him again. He had originally been scheduled to start against Washington but was scratched from the lineup after the setback.
Manager Dave Roberts said after Saturday’s game that the elbow had “flared up” and that the Dodgers would stop his throwing work while obtaining additional imaging.
The subsequent MRI did not reveal a worsening of the ligament damage.
Roberts characterized the results as “more of the same.”
That is encouraging in the sense that the Dodgers did not discover a more severe injury.
But it did not change the club’s decision regarding Rushing’s defensive future this season.
Dodgers Rule Out Rushing Catching in 2026
MLB now lists Rushing as officially out as a catcher for the remainder of the season, although a September return as a hitter remains possible.
Roberts also indicated that the Dodgers do not anticipate restarting another throwing progression this year.
That applies to the postseason as well.
Rushing will therefore not be an option behind the plate if Los Angeles reaches October with its current catching group.
That represents a change from earlier in his recovery.
When the partial UCL tear was originally diagnosed in August, catching again in 2026 was considered unlikely, but it had not been completely eliminated as a possibility. Rushing remained optimistic and continued working toward that goal.
Saturday’s setback effectively ended that pursuit.
Dodgers Still Hope Rushing Can Return as a Hitter
The season itself may not be over for Rushing.
The Dodgers plan to shut down his swinging for a few days before beginning another hitting progression.
If his elbow tolerates that work, Roberts said the next step could be at-bats on a minor-league rehab assignment before the club evaluates whether Rushing can return to the Major League roster.
Because the IL move was made retroactive to Sept. 5, Rushing is first eligible to return on Sept. 15.
That still leaves enough regular-season time for the Dodgers to evaluate him as a potential left-handed bench bat.
But there are several steps between now and then.
He first needs the elbow to settle down.
Then he needs to resume swinging.
Then he must demonstrate he can hit without aggravating the injury.
And this time, the Dodgers intend to have him take rehab at-bats before activating him.
So while a return remains possible, it should not be described as imminent.
Rushing Barely Had Time to Contribute After Returning
Rushing’s latest IL stint comes less than a week after his Sept. 1 activation.
He appeared in four games after returning and went 0-for-4 in five plate appearances.
His role was already considerably different from the one he held earlier this season.
Instead of serving as Will Smith’s primary backup catcher, Rushing was essentially functioning as another left-handed bat for Roberts.
That became particularly useful while Shohei Ohtani was unavailable because of his own physical issues.
Now the Dodgers have lost that option again, at least temporarily.
Rushing is batting .249 with a .798 OPS, 12 home runs and 36 RBIs in 78 games this season.
For a September roster attempting to build as much offensive flexibility as possible before October, losing that kind of left-handed power from the bench is significant.
Eliezer Alfonzo Returns
The Dodgers chose to replace Rushing with another catcher rather than adding a position player at a different spot.
Alfonzo returns for his second Major League stint of the season.
The 26-year-old has appeared in 12 games for Los Angeles, batting .185 with two doubles and four RBIs. At Triple-A Oklahoma City, he has hit .302 with two home runs and 25 RBIs.
His recall gives the Dodgers three healthy catchers:
Will Smith, Hunter Feduccia and Alfonzo.
That extra depth could allow Roberts to be more aggressive using Feduccia as a left-handed pinch-hitting option on days when he is not catching, somewhat replacing the bench role Rushing had been filling. MLB specifically identified that flexibility as one reason carrying three catchers could be useful.
What About Surgery?
The partial UCL tear naturally raises questions about whether Rushing will eventually require surgery.
No such decision has been made.
MLB reported that surgery remains a possibility and, if necessary, could be addressed during the offseason. Roberts, however, said Sunday that he does not currently expect surgery to be inevitable.
The Dodgers’ immediate plan is to get through the remainder of the season, see whether Rushing can build himself back up as a hitter, and then evaluate the elbow again during the offseason.
That is another area where the wording matters.
Rushing has a partial UCL tear.
He has aggravated the elbow.
But the Dodgers have not announced that he needs Tommy John surgery or any other procedure.
Rushing’s October Path Is Now Much Narrower
The latest setback changes the postseason conversation around Rushing considerably.
There had previously been two potential avenues back into the Dodgers’ plans:
Return as a hitter and potentially work his way back behind the plate.
Only one remains.
If Rushing is going to contribute again in 2026, it will be with his bat.
That could still have value.
A healthy Rushing would give Roberts another left-handed power option off the bench and a hitter capable of changing a game with one swing.
But first, the Dodgers need his elbow to tolerate hitting.
The encouraging news is that the latest MRI did not show additional structural damage.
The disappointing news is that the throwing setback was significant enough to end any hope of catching again this year.
For now, the Dodgers are no longer trying to get Dalton Rushing back behind the plate.
They are simply trying to determine whether they can get his bat back before October.