The Los Angeles Dodgers shocked their fanbase when the team designated longtime backup catcher Austin Barnes for assignment, and promoted top prospect Dalton Rushing.
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There was speculation surrounding the reason for Rushing’s call up. Was he going to be the Dodgers’ official backup catcher to Will Smith? Or would Rushing’s time in the big leagues signify the team was looking to trade the rookie at the deadline?
Rushing is hitting .273 with one home run and seven runs batted in across 23 plate appearances as he continues to acclimate into his new role as the Dodgers’ backup catcher.
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal confirms that is the title he will likely keep when it comes to the Dodgers’ plan for Rushing this season.
“It’s easy to interpret the Dodgers’ recent promotion of rookie Dalton Rushing as the possible prelude to a trade,” Rosenthal writes. “But even though Hunter Feduccia could slide into the backup catcher’s role, the Dodgers are not inclined to move Rushing, and certainly not for a short-term fix.”
Rosenthal does argue that the 24-year-old could provide the Dodgers a solution in left field given Michael Conforto’s contract with the Dodgers expires at the end of 2025.
“Good hitters are in increasingly short supply, and Rushing offers considerable offensive promise. If the Dodgers are willing to forsake the value he would provide as a catcher, he could end up replacing Michael Conforto next season in left field.”
And so, it appears the Dodgers view Rushing as a pivotal piece on the roster for the foreseeable future as opposed to trade bait.
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Photo Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
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