The Dodgers on Friday activated Dalton Rushing from the injured list on Friday as expected, in a last-ditch effort to get him some potential pinch-hitting opportunities to prepare for what would be his role if he’s active at all in October.
Naturally, Rushing did not pinch-hit on Friday, a 2-0 Dodgers in over the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park, highlighting the uphill battle he faces. Rushing is battling rookie Josue De Paula for a potential specialized role in the postseason, someone the Dodgers would
use to pinch-hit from the left side, and nothing more. For Rushing, he really can’t play in the field at the moment, having missed four weeks in August with a partially torn UCL in his right elbow, then aggravated the elbow while doing throwing drills, wiping him out another three weeks.
Rushing ideally would have been the Dodgers’ backup catcher in October, coming off a fine first full major league season. He filled in as the main catcher for two months while Will Smith was sidelined with a neck injury. Rushing is hitting .249/.332/.466 with 12 home runs. Among the 51 major league catchers with at least 200 plate appearances this season, Rushing’s 120 wRC+ ranks seventh.
In the Dodgers’ last 49 games, Rushing has played in five of them, batting a total of eight times, without a hit.
“The circumstances of his situation, it’s 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 in the roster,’” manager Dave Roberts said of Rushing on Thursday. “But what he’s done for us this year certainly deserves some consideration. That’s kind of giving him the respect and thoughtfulness for what he’s done for us.”
Switch-hitter Alex Freeland was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City to make room for Rushing. Freeland was called up on September 1 and played in 17 of the 22 games for which he was active, including 10 starts, hitting .250/.413/.389. On the season, Freeland led the Dodgers with 67 starts and 579 defensive innings at second base, and hit .234/.327/.325 with an 86 wRC+, including .253/.351/.354 with a 101 wRC+ as a left-handed hitter.
The timing of Freeland’s option means his 10 days won’t be up in time to make the Division Series roster. But one would imagine he’d be in consideration for October option should the need for an infielder arise.
