Los Ángeles Dodgers backup catcher Dalton Rushing had elbow surgery today, according to Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times. Recovery time is expected to be nine months. This means that Rushing will not be available to resume full catching duties until July of 2027. However, he could resume hitting before then.
Dodgers’ Dalton Rushing is undergoing right elbow surgery today, per sources. It’s expected to be a hybrid internal brace procedure. The expected timeline to return to catching full time is 9 months, with a return to hitting well before then.
— Maddie Lee (@maddie_m_lee) October 21, 2026
The Genesis of an Injury
Rushing was originally placed on the Injured List with elbow inflammation in early August, only to have further tests reveal a UCL tear. The hope was that, with enough rest, the injury would heal on its own. The Dodgers even tried to use him as a bench bat while keeping him from catching behind the plate, including activating him for the last regular season series of the year. The move turned out to be ineffective, so the Dodgers did not put the backstop on the postseason roster.
In Will’s Stead
Rushing had to assume full-time catching duties when All-Star Will Smithwas dealing with a neck issue that sidelined him for most of the 2026 regular season. The injury was initially characterized as a day-to-day ailment but progressed to something more severe as time went on. For his part, Rushing held his own with the bat, hitting for a .253 batting average with 12 home runs. His defense behind the plate remains a work in progress.
Trading for Backup
With Rushing’s forced absence, the Dodgers acquired old friends Ben Rortvedt and Hunter Feduccia from the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Mets at the August 1 Trade Deadline. Both shared backstop duties until Smith’s return in September. Rortvedt, who was designated for assignment three separate times last season, got the majority of playing time behind the plate because of his defensive capacity. However, it was Feduccia who served in a backup role during the postseason because of the stronger bat.
The Last Word
It is an open question how many games Rushing will actually miss due to the looming lockout approaching on December 1. However, it feels like the Dodgers made an unforced error by attempting to kick the can down the road. If the Dodgers had Rushing sidelined immediately upon Smith’s return, the young backstop could have had the surgery immediately and saved two months of recovery time already, regardless of when the 2027 season starts. Now one of the Dodgers’ offseason needs appears to be acquiring catching depth. Of course, hindsight is always 20/20.
Main Photo Credit: William Navarro-Imagn Images
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