The Los Angeles Dodgers face the Chicago Cubs in the series finale on Wednesday, looking to avoid a three-game sweep after dropping the first two contests.
Event Context
However, ahead of the matchup, the team received a disappointing update from its camp.
“Don’t know what that looks like for the rest of the season and throughout the postseason,” Roberts said during a Tuesday appearance on AM570. “Fortunately, it happened the day before the trade deadline. So… today we’re looking at two new catchers,” he added.
The 25-year-old Dodgers catcher remained in Los Angeles while the club traveled to Chicago, where additional testing uncovered the partial ligament tear.
Later, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, who covers the Dodgers, reported that Dave Roberts believes there is only a “very small” chance Rushing will return behind the plate this season.
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However, the club still hopes to keep him available as a left-handed hitting option if possible.
With uncertainty surrounding Dalton’s recovery timeline, the Dodgers strengthened their catching depth before the trade deadline by acquiring Ben Rortvedt from the New York Mets and Hunter Feduccia from the Tampa Bay Rays.
Rortvedt started Tuesday’s game behind the plate before Feduccia replaced him in the eighth inning.
Despite the recent slump, Los Angeles continues to lead the National League West with a 69-45 record, maintaining a nine-game advantage atop the division.
Rushing’s performance before injury
Manager Dave Roberts revealed that Rushing will not resume throwing for several weeks, although the organization remains optimistic that surgery can be avoided.
Before the injury, Rushing had appeared in 74 games, batting .253 with 12 home runs and 36 RBIs. His most recent appearance came Saturday against the Boston Red Sox.
Will Smith also sidelined
The Dodgers are also without veteran catcher Will Smith. The 31-year-old catcher continues to be sidelined for the defending World Series champions because of an inflamed disc in his neck, having not appeared in a game since June 5.
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Match Outlook
Manager Dave Roberts said over the weekend that the catcher is making steady progress, but is still expected to require another three to four weeks of ramp-up before he is ready to be activated from the injured list.
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According to ESPN, Dalton Rushing, who was placed on the injured list Monday with what was initially described as a mild elbow strain, has been diagnosed with a partial tear of the UCL in his right elbow.
