Ben Rortvedt could change Dodgers’ long-term plans for Dalton Rushing

Things certainly haven't gone as planned for the highly-touted Dalton Rushing. After tearing the cover off the ball with a .314/.436/.517 line in 35 games down at Triple-A Oklahoma City, the Los Angeles Dodgers had seen enough to believe the 24-year-old backstop was ready for the show.

However, in 155 major league plate appearances, he's proven to be anything but, posting a .204/.258/.324 line that has been heavily impacted by a ghastly 37.4% strikeout rate. Those immense struggles have greatly impacted the Dodgers' trust in him.

Rushing spent 10 days on the IL from Sept. 6-16, and when he returned he found that he had been usurped in the catching pecking order, while it was revealed that Will Smith's hand injury was worse than originally thought.

As Smith's recovery has lingered into the postseason, Rushing has been planted on the bench in favor of an option no one saw coming: journeyman Ben Rortvedt. Now it's Rortvedt's presence on the roster that could change everything about what the future holds for Rushing.

Ben Rortvedt could change Dalton Rushing's future outlook with the Dodgers

Since being called up by the Dodgers in September, the defensive-minded Rortvedt has impressed, leading several Dodgers' starters through spectacular starts and hitting just enough to be considered a viable backup.

With Will Smith sidelined in the Wild Card matchup against the Cincinnati Reds, Rortvedt got both starts in the two-game set, going 3-for-6 with a double. Smith is still working his way back as the NLDS is set to begin, and it is again Rortvedt who is set to start behind the plate until the three-time All-Star is ready to return to the lineup.

While no one will confuse Rortvedt with a star, he does have some pedigree as a former second-round pick of the Minnesota Twins back in 2016. The 28-year-old's performance has been encouraging on multiple fronts, and with three years remaining of team control he could settle in as the backup catcher for the foreseeable future.

That, combined with Smith's massive extension that runs through 2033, doesn't leave a lot of room for Rushing at catcher. This all begs the question: so what then does the future hold for Rushing?

For 2026, it could mean a lot more time down in Oklahoma City. The strikeout rate is not encouraging, though plate discipline has been a strength of Rushing's throughout his minor league career. It's possible that a lack of regular at-bats has messed with his timing, leading to the whiff fest we've seen from him so far. As it currently stands, there doesn't seem to be much of a pathway for him to get regular at-bats with the big league club. Or does it?

There's a world in which the Dodgers could get creative with Rushing. Michael Conforto will be out as an impending free agent coming off a ghastly season, and the Dodgers could use a left-handed bat to patrol left field.

Rushing is more athletic than your average catcher, and the Dodgers gave him some run in left field last year, working him into 31 games in the outfield while down on the farm. There's a world in which he could be the Dodgers' answer in left in 2026, at least for the most part as it would still make sense to add a right-handed hitting platoon partner for him.

Another area Rushing has gotten his feet wet is at first base. Freddie Freeman is under contract through 2027, so he's not going anywhere in the next couple of years, but perhaps the Dodgers could morph Rushing into a unique utility player, having him play the outfield while spelling Freeman at first and getting the occasional reps behind the plate.

Then, with time, he could emerge as the heir apparent to Freeman, who will be 38 by the time his contract expires.

The last possible scenario is that Rushing could be dangled as trade bait. As disappointing as his 2025 big league performance was, he still has a high ceiling and tremendous potential. While those are reasons to keep him, LA could try to flip him for a different piece that better fits the roster's needs.

It will be fascinating to see, but the only guarantee right now is that Dalton Rushing's future will look much different than what was envisioned when he first broke in this year.