Sports

Dodgers Veteran Pitcher Raves About Dalton Rushing: 'Guy You Want On Your Team'

By Patrick Warren Sports Illustrated

In what has been an up-and-down season for the young catcher, Dalton Rushing found himself on top in Monday night's win over the Colorado Rockies.

After reliever Tanner Scott let up three runs in the ninth inning to tie the game, Rushing made the final play of the inning, tagging out the potential go-ahead run at the plate to keep the Los Angeles Dodgers' hopes of winning alive.

His heroics continued in extra innings, with Rushing knocking in the winning run on a walk-off single in the bottom of the 11th.

Rushing and the Dodgers nearly didn't make it to extra innings, as Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman appeared to have beat Rushing to the plate. However, Rushing told the dugout to challenge the call, and - despite a history of controversy surrounding challenges - he was right.

"I thought it was close enough on our side that we should challenge it, for sure," Rushing said after the game. "I knew I had got him on the hand. Obviously I didn't have a great look on whether he stuck his hand in or not, but yeah. We've done such a great job with little things, and that's our third or fourth big relay on the year, and [Miguel Rojas] put a good throw to me that gave us a chance there."

Rushing finished the night going 3-for-5 at the plate with two doubles and two runs scored. With regular starting catcher Will Smith set to miss more time with a neck injury, the improvements Rushing have shown are welcomed by the Dodgers.

"He's a great player," Eric Lauer, who allowed three runs over six innings in Monday's win, told reporters after the game. "He plays with a lot of moxie. And he definitely doesn't back down to anybody, and we love him for that. And he's a great guy that you want on your team, and you want playing with you.

"He's a great competitor, great guy. I like him a lot."

Rushing's competitive spirit was on full display in the 10th inning after the Rockies took a temporary lead.

Rockies center fielder Cole Carrigg scored the go-ahead run, but Rushing tagged him after he reached home plate. Carrigg seemed to make a comment as he got up, which caught Rushing's attention, leading to the two exchanging words before play resumed.

"It was a little back and forth. It was just the competitive nature of the game," Rushing said. "You're making a play on the ball, take it the wrong way, and like I said, I didn't mean any harm by the tag or the way I reacted to the ball. Made sure he knew that. Told him I was just reacting to the baseball, and yeah. I don't expect it to go any further."

Rushing got the last laugh with his game-winning RBI, earning the Dodgers their fourth win in their last five games and making them the first team to 60 wins this season.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/dodgers/onsi as Dodgers Veteran Pitcher Raves About Dalton Rushing: 'Guy You Want On Your Team'.

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This story was originally published July 7, 2026 at 7:30 PM.

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