Dalton Rushing to catch Shohei Ohtanis next start…
Dalton Rushing will get a probability for a do-over.
When Shohei Ohtani takes the mound for the Dodgers on Friday evening, Rushing shall be behind the plate.
Manager Dave Roberts confirmed that can be the case on Thursday, in the wake of Rushing and Ohtani’s obvious miscommunications during an outing in Minnesota last week that led to an ugly three-run inning.
When the Dodgers host the Padres Friday evening, Dalton Rushing shall be behind the plate catching Shohei Ohtani. Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Roberts reiterated that he expects the battery to keep away from such pitfalls again.
“They don’t think the same, so it takes time [to build chemistry],” Roberts said of Rushing and Ohtani, who have been together during the two-way star’s last three begins amid Will Smith’s battle with a neck injury.
“But again,” Roberts added, “I think Dalton understands that is what he signed up for. The job of a catcher is to be a servant to the pitcher. That’s the bottom line. So it’s Dalton’s job to get on page with whatever pitcher. So I expect that all to be resolved.”
Rushing took possession of last week’s mishap in an interview with The California Post this week, saying “you never want to have a pitcher feel like you don’t have their back.”
“We’re gonna move forward from it,” Rushing added. “I’ve talked to him a lot. Never in a million years could you ever have a bad thing to say about a guy like that. Never in a million years could you ever feel like a player like that is in the wrong. So it’s kind of up to me, as a young guy, to wear the situation, wear it on my chest, get over it, move past it, and make sure that we allow a guy like that to do what he wants to do.”
The Ohtani-Rushing battery shall be on full show Friday evening vs. the Padres.Getty Images
The Ohtani-Rushing battery shall be on full show Friday evening vs. the Padres.Getty Images
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While Ohtani has also been battling knee and blister points in latest weeks, his numbers as a pitcher haven’t been as good with Rushing.
In 10 begins with Smith behind the plate this 12 months, Ohtani had an 0.74 ERA with 67 strikeouts in 61 innings.
In three outings with Rushing, he has a 4.34 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings.
While a lot consideration went to Rushing’s demonstrative outburst of frustration last week, the core issue has been a lack of cohesion between him and Ohtani on calling pitches.
That was another space Rushing said he had aimed to improve this week.
Come Friday evening, he’ll get the possibility to show it.
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