Dodgers confirm Dalton Rushing will catch Ohtani against Padres
ESPN MLB • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 3, 2026, 12:40 AM
Last updated Jul 3, 2026
The Los Angeles Dodgers announced that Dalton Rushing will catch for Shohei Ohtani during his start against the San Diego Padres on July 3. This decision follows a recent controversy regarding their previous outing together, where Ohtani expressed frustration with Rushing's pitch selection. Manager Dave Roberts stated that Ohtani will also bat in his leadoff spot, indicating a two-way day for him. This comes amid concerns over Ohtani's knee inflammation and the team's cautious approach to his usage as a player. Ohtani aims to provide guidance to Rushing to improve their collaboration on the field.
- •Dalton Rushing will catch Shohei Ohtani against the Padres.
- •Ohtani will also hit in the leadoff spot on July 3.
- •Recent tensions arose regarding their pitch-calling dynamics.
- •Ohtani is managing knee inflammation, prompting cautious usage.
- •The decision signals confidence in Rushing's abilities this season.
- 3:37 AMESPN MLB — Rushing to catch Ohtani's start Friday vs. Padres
- 12:40 AMYahoo Sports — Dodgers Announce Shohei Ohtani’s Catcher, Two-Way Status vs. Padres
"The Dodgers are indeed allowing Dalton Rushing to catch Shohei Ohtani during his start against the Padres after all of the controversy.
"Shohei Ohtani will be in the Dodgers' lineup when he makes his pitching start Friday, and catching him will be Dalton Rushing.
Sources
External links- ESPN MLBJul 3, 2026, 3:37 AMRushing to catch Ohtani's start Friday vs. Padres
Shohei Ohtani will be in the Dodgers' lineup when he makes his pitching start Friday, and catching him will be Dalton Rushing.
- Yahoo SportsJul 3, 2026, 12:40 AMDodgers Announce Shohei Ohtani’s Catcher, Two-Way Status vs. Padres
The Dodgers are indeed allowing Dalton Rushing to catch Shohei Ohtani during his start against the Padres after all of the controversy.
Original reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days
MLB•Sep 8, 2026, 7:19 PMWhat Did 2026 MLB Preseason Projections Get Wrong?
MLB•Sep 8, 2026, 7:18 PMYankees Aaron Boone Reveals Aaron Judge May Not Play Full Games Right Away
MLB•Sep 8, 2026, 7:01 PMWhat we learned from how the Reds used Chase Burns against the Dodgers
MLB•Sep 8, 2026, 6:44 PMMLB World Reacts to New York Yankees’ Major Aaron Judge Announcement
MLB•Sep 8, 2026, 6:18 PMDodgers scoring 6 runs on only 3 hits is quite rare
MLB•Sep 8, 2026, 6:05 PMHow Do Phillies Stack Up Against National League’s Best Teams?