Originally published by DodgerBlue.com
Dalton Rushing was added back onto the Los Angeles Dodgers roster on Friday with just three games remaining in the regular season.
It marked the end of Rushing’s second stint on the injured list due to right elbow injuries, which included a slight tear in his UCL and a flexor tendon problem.
Rushing was ruled out from catching again this season, but the Dodgers are still considering the idea of using him as a left-handed bat off the bench in the playoffs.
Rushing did not appear on Friday, leaving him with just two games to potentially make an impact and prove he’s ready. The audition becomes even smaller when considering he can get a maximum of two at-bats as a pinch-hitter.
Still, the Dodgers felt giving him the opportunity was the right thing to do.
“Yeah, it’s going to be a small sample,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It would be at the most, three pinch-hit at-bats. So just conduct good at-bats and see what you got.
“And again, like I said a couple days ago, the circumstances of his situation are just tough. To be hurt, be back, then to be hurt again, and then to take three pinch-hit at-bats, potentially, and then to say, ‘hey, you’re on the roster.’
“But what he’s done for us this year certainly deserves some consideration. So I think that’s kind of giving him the respect and the thoughtfulness of what he’s done for us.”
Josue De Paula has the inside track to make the postseason roster as the left-handed hitting bench bat. De Paula also provides them with speed off the bench, and although not ideal, he can play the outfield in a pinch.
But Rushing has had an excellent season and played a key role as the Dodgers’ primary catcher when Will Smith landed on the injured list.
Rushing hit .249/.332/.466 with 12 home runs, 37 runs scored, 36 RBI and a 120 wRC+ in 78 games.
The 25-year-old can’t prove his impact bat is back in just two at-bats, but if he looks healthy and not compromised, the Dodgers can also consider what he did throughout the season.
“Well, it’s a small track record, but it’s a good track record. So I think that we bake all that in,” Roberts said. “And regardless, it’s a tougher conversation, but with anyone. There’s also a component of having a guy that can run off the bench, so it’s not just a left-handed bat off the bench.
“So there’s some other nuanced conversations that need to happen, and what fits best for a potential first-round matchup.”
Still, the chances of Rushing making the postseason roster are slim, unless the Dodgers decide to carry him and De Paula, which also seems unlikely.
The Dodgers may prefer to carry a pure pinch-runner on the roster instead of an extra pinch-hitter, which could also bring Hyeseong Kim into the mix.
Does Dalton Rushing truly have an opportunity?
While Roberts said the Dodgers are giving Rushing a chance to make the roster because he deserves it, they don’t seem to be giving him a chance in reality.
A maximum of two at-bats isn’t going to be enough to sway them over what De Paula did in his opportunities. Roberts even admitted it would be tough for them to add Rushing based on a few plate appearances.
The Dodgers also did not guarantee him any plate appearances to prove himself. Instead, he could potentially get a few, with a max of three — and that number has already been cut to two after not getting an opportunity on Friday.
The Dodgers say they’re giving Rushing the respect and consideration he deserves, but the way they’re managing it feels more disrespectful than not giving him the chance, with De Paula already a near-lock to make the team.
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