Dave Roberts teed himself up for Dodgers to make him look like liar at trade deadline

Dave Roberts is no stranger to having to walk back things he’s said. Whether it be the speculation he started about Shohei Ohtani pitching in the 2024 postseason or Michael Kopech’s knee injury earlier this year, it’s clear that he’s fine firing from the hip in his media availability and then picking up the pieces later. 

And it looks like we could be barreling toward another instance where Roberts has to eat his words in regard to one of the Dodgers’ biggest trade chips. 

Dave Roberts just set himself up for Dodgers to make him look like liar at trade deadline

On Monday, Roberts spoke to the team’s beat, where he addressed Dalton Rushing’s trade market as questions continue to arise. 

“I haven’t talked to Dalton,” Roberts said when asked about Rushing’s trade speculation, per the Orange County Register’s Bill Plunkett. “I just don’t see a world in which he’s moved anyway, and I think he’s smart enough to realize that. I don’t think it’s going to impact him. I really don’t.”

Is this ... directly from the front office? Is Roberts so sure Rushing won't get moved that he's confident relaying this to the media and making the kid feel safe?

It’s one thing to say the normal boilerplate “he’s a great player, we want to keep him here” answer, but to go all out and say that you don’t see a world where he’s moved is something completely different — especially since we are living in a world where he very much could be moved as the deadline gets more and more unpredictable. 

While there’s already been some reporting that Rushing and top prospect Alex Freeland are untouchable at this year’s deadline, there’s always a chance some team could blow them away with an offer that’s too good to say no to. What if the Guardians are serious about trading Steven Kwan, or the Cardinals offer a package deal of players that fill multiple holes on the roster? 

The Dodgers are good, but they’re not good enough to shut down every avenue they have to make their team better. And, to make the team better, they’re likely going to need to overpay for someone at the trade deadline, which is where Rushing could come in. 

Although Rushing has slashed just .200/.270/.275 with 36 strikeouts across his first 89 MLB plate appearances, he’s had sporadic playing time behind starting catcher Will Smith — the same Will Smith who is signed through 2033.

There was some buzz that the Dodgers would consider letting him get some major league time at first base and the outfield, but he’s only gotten work behind the plate so far in his career. It seems like the Dodgers are slow-playing Rushing’s development, and it feels as if it’s hamstringing both his development and the versatility of the roster.

Who knows, maybe Rushing stays on the roster and becomes the next great Dodger. But that doesn’t mean there’s absolutely no chance he gets traded at the trade deadline, even if Roberts can’t see it.