The Dodgers have a problem most teams would kill for. They have too many good catchers. Dalton Rushing is sitting behind Will Smith, who isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Smith just signed a long-term deal. Shohei Ohtani is the DH. Freddie Freeman is locked in at first. So where does Rushing fit?
ESPN’s Jeff Passan recently wrote about it. He didn’t predict a trade, but he didn’t rule one out either. Passan said the Dodgers aren’t shopping Rushing, but they’ve got Smith behind the plate and a pretty good DH situation. Opportunities are going to be limited for a while. He mentioned the Yankees and Rangers as teams that would probably call if L.A. ever made Rushing available.
Rushing has only played 111 big-league games as of now. He’s still under team control for years and has a high ceiling. The Dodgers have found ways to get his bat in the lineup this season, mostly because Smith has been banged up. Once Smith is healthy, he’s back behind the dish every day.
The only way this makes sense for L.A. is if they’re going after a superstar with multiple years of control left. Trading Rushing for a rental like Tarik Skubal, who hits free agency after this season, doesn’t seem realistic. But if someone like that is available with team control beyond this year? That changes the math.
What the Dodgers would need to say yes
You don’t move a 23-year-old catcher with pop unless you’re getting something serious back. Rushing is exactly the kind of prospect contenders ask for in blockbuster deals. He’s got power, he’s shown he can handle a pitching staff, and he’s cheap for several more years. Teams like the Rangers and Yankees have prospects too, but do they have the right ones to make L.A. blink?
The Dodgers have built their roster on depth. They’ve got young arms coming up. They’ve got position players in the pipeline. Prying Rushing away would take a package that addresses a real need. Maybe starting pitching with term. Maybe a middle infielder. Something that helps the big league club now and later.
Baseball people love to say never say never. Passan didn’t close the door. The Yankees and Rangers are lurking. But right now, it feels like the Dodgers are more likely to hold onto Rushing than deal him. Unless someone makes an offer they can’t ignore. That’s how these things usually work.
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