Outlook Dalton Rushing
Will Smith's injury opens the door for a surging Dalton Rushing.
Rushing has been blistering hot, batting .500 (7-for-14) with a home run over his last seven days for the first-place Dodgers (42-24). While he typically slots in behind Will Smith, an active neck injury to the starting catcher opens the door for immediate playing time.
Rushing's recent surge has raised his 2026 average to .287 with eight home runs, a major step up from his .203 rookie campaign. While our models expect regression toward a .227 baseline with 10 projected homers rest-of-season, his elite current form is worth riding.
The Dodgers have six road games on tap, beginning with Pittsburgh's Paul Skenes (3.21 ERA) before facing highly vulnerable arms like Jared Jones (4.82 ERA) and David Sandlin (8.10 ERA). With heavy volume expected due to the open catcher slot, he is a premier play. Verdict: Start.
Updated 17 hrs ago
