Dodgers Activate Dalton Rushing for His Final Chance to Make Playoff Roster
The Los Angeles Dodgers are giving Dalton Rushing his final shot to show he's healthy enough for the postseason.
On Friday, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced that catcher Dalton Rushing is being activated from the injured list with a limited chance to demonstrate his health for the upcoming playoffs. Rushing, who is recovering from a partial UCL tear, will be given at most three at-bats in the hope of proving himself. In a related move, infielder Alex Freeland is being optioned to make room on the roster.
Rushing's performance this year has been noteworthy, but he has already faced setbacks due to the injury. If he cannot demonstrate his fitness to play, it's likely that he will miss the postseason altogether. Instead, the Dodgers plan to bring up rookie Josue De Paula, who has had an impressive 11-game stretch with the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets, hitting .323/.500/.545 with a 1.081 OPS.
Fans have been impressed by De Paula's performance, with many expressing disappointment that he was demoted from the big league roster. To avoid missing the playoffs, the Dodgers have a win-win situation at hand. If Rushing returns at the required level, he could be a valuable left-handed bat for the team. However, if he doesn't, De Paula will step in and potentially become the starting lefty bat before the playoffs begin.
Rushing has shown dedication to the team by stepping in for an injured Will Smith throughout the year, but fans may hope that De Paula is the better option for the postseason.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
