Dodgers’ Dalton Rushing doesn’t believe he needs surgery for UCL injury

LOS ANGELES — Dalton Rushing said his season is not over yet. The Los Angeles Dodgers backstop told The Athletic he does not believe he will need surgery to address a slight tear in the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow.

“I don’t have to go lay on a table and get my arm cut open,” Rushing said after the Dodgers’ 6-5 win over Kansas City on Monday night. “That’s a good thing. That’s where we’re at right now.”

Rushing felt discomfort while warming up before a game against the Boston Red Sox on Aug. 2 and was a late scratch from the lineup before being placed on the injured list a day later. In rehashing the injury for the first time publicly, Rushing said the tear was not a massive surprise — or an area of real immediate concern.

“From a structural standpoint, we had a history a little bit of it,” Rushing said. “(The Dodgers) were aware of it. Everyone was aware of it. I think that’s what popped up as of recently on scans and kind of threw up a red flag for some people.

“But as far as the feel of it, we’re worried about the muscle side of it that surrounds it. That’s what we’re going to rehab.”

Doctors, Rushing said, are “not worried about anything structurally right now” in his elbow, which fuels his hope to avoid a season-ending surgery. The Dodgers are still hopeful their former top prospect could provide a boost in their quest for a third consecutive World Series title.

Manager Dave Roberts said last week there is a “very small” chance that Rushing catches again this season, though much of the Dodgers’ evaluation will depend on the results of scans after Rushing goes four to six weeks without throwing.

“I hope I’m wrong,” Roberts said at the time after downplaying the odds.

The Dodgers already have contingencies. They spent the day after Rushing complained of symptoms trading for a pair of catchers they knew previously in Ben Rortvedt and Hunter Feduccia to help address the position. It’s not the setup anyone envisioned, but it’s the catching situation the Dodgers are stuck with until Will Smith returns from injury.

Rushing had served as the Dodgers’ primary catcher ever since Smith hit the injured list in June with an inflamed disc in his neck. Smith is expected to take batting practice on the field this week for the first time since his injury, Roberts said on Monday.

“This is going to be a big week for Will,” Roberts said.

If all goes well, Smith is expected to be behind the plate in October. The Dodgers still see Rushing filling a potential role, even if he cannot catch.

Rushing has continued to swing in the week since going on the injured list, wearing protective gear on his right elbow. The Dodgers have a clear need for a left-handed bat as they roll with what on most nights is exclusively a right-handed bench. That unbalanced roster construction has complicated things, Roberts said Monday afternoon, as the Dodgers have clear redundancies. Roberts said he will start Alex Call on Tuesday, which will mark the outfielder’s first start since July 21 and just his seventh game overall in that span.

“It’s not ideal,” Roberts said.

Rostering Rushing is not a clear-cut solution if he medically cannot play a position (and the Dodgers famously employ Shohei Ohtani as a designated hitter), but they’re keeping the possibility alive.

The 25-year-old has put up an .809 OPS in 245 plate appearances so far this season, ranking as the fifth-most productive offensive player at the catcher position in that much playing time. That has been more than enough for the Dodgers to want to keep Rushing as a viable option. It’s also a chance for the team to continue making the most of what has been a strong first full season in the big leagues for Rushing.

“It’s just adversity,” Rushing said of the path ahead.