Dodgers, Dalton Rushing may narrowly avoid worst possible injury fate despite initial fears

A tear in the ulnar collateral ligament of a catcher’s throwing elbow is rarely comforting news. But according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, Dalton Rushing and the Los Angeles Dodgers now have legitimate reason to believe the injury may not require surgery or end his season.

That qualifies as a significant win considering where this situation appeared to be headed. Rushing told Ardaya that doctors are not currently concerned about the structural damage in his elbow. Instead, the Dodgers plan to focus his rehabilitation on the surrounding muscles after he experienced discomfort while warming up before an August 2 game against the Boston Red Sox.

The slight UCL tear itself apparently wasn’t completely new information, either. Rushing said there was some history there and that the organization had been aware of it before recent scans raised additional concern.

Dalton Rushing doesn't expect to undergo surgery for UCL injury, but timeline to return to Dodgers remains unclear

Unfortunately, none of this means Rushing is anywhere close to returning behind the plate. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who is typically notorious for downplaying his players' injuries, previously described the chances of Rushing catching again this season as “very small."

The Dodgers won’t truly know what they’re dealing with until Rushing spends four to six weeks without throwing and undergoes additional imaging. But “very small” is still considerably better than zero. And even if Rushing can't catch again in 2026, the Dodgers are apparently leaving open the possibility that he could contribute offensively down the stretch.

Rushing has posted an .809 OPS across 245 plate appearances this season, making him one of baseball’s more productive offensive catchers in his first full major league campaign. Los Angeles also has an obvious need for another left-handed bat on a roster that Roberts has acknowledged is awkwardly constructed.

Finding a spot for Rushing without putting him behind the plate would be complicated, particularly with Shohei Ohtani occupying the full-time designated hitter role. But that's a problem the Dodgers would gladly attempt to solve if Rushing is healthy enough to swing.

The Dodgers already protected themselves by acquiring Ben Rortvedt and Hunter Feduccia after Rushing landed on the injured list, while Will Smith continues working toward his own return from a neck injury.

While Los Angeles still has plenty of uncertainty at catcher, the worst-case scenario — major elbow surgery and an immediate end to Rushing’s season — suddenly appears much less inevitable. Considering the initial fears surrounding a UCL tear, that alone is encouraging news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow