The Dodgers were already dealing with smoke from a nearby structure fire in Boyle Heights. Then Kyle Tucker left early. Then Dalton Rushing followed him out.
Rushing took a foul tip to the mask during the bottom of the first inning against the Twins. He left the game to be evaluated for a concussion. The team confirmed the diagnosis later — Rushing is now in concussion protocol.
This isn’t the kind of day you plan for. Tucker had already exited in the second inning with back spasms. So in one afternoon, LA lost two contributors. And with Teoscar Hernández and Will Smith already on the IL, the lineup is suddenly thin.
How it happened
It was the first pitch of Rushing’s at-bat. The ball caught the mask hard. Rushing stayed in for a moment but was pulled before the inning ended. Manager Dave Roberts sent Chuckie Robinson in to catch.
Rushing had only one at-bat before the exit. He was already in a bit of a slump — three straight hitless games. His last hit came on June 19 against the Orioles, a single that drove in a run during a 6-5 win at Chavez Ravine. But that night feels like a while ago now.
The kid has been building a reputation with Dodgers fans. He’s not afraid to argue with umpires. It gets him noticed, but he’s said he doesn’t want to come off as the villain. Still, the energy is there. People like him.
Where the Dodgers stand
LA came into Monday at 49-29. Through five innings in Minneapolis, the game was tied 1-1. Shohei Ohtani hit a solo home run — the defending champs’ only run so far. But now the team has to figure out catching depth and lineup protection without Tucker or Rushing.
Roberts didn’t have much to say about the timing. It’s just bad luck. Rushing will go through protocol. Tucker’s back issue is day-to-day. Meanwhile, Robinson gets the call behind the plate.
It’s not the kind of depth chart anyone wants to test in late June. But here we are.
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