Dodgers' Dalton Rushing has had opportunity to prove his worth as every-day catcher

Dalton Rushing got his chance as an everyday catcher for the Dodgers after Will Smith landed on the Injured List with an inflamed disc. Smith has been sidelined for about two months, and manager Dave Roberts said he’s “pain-free” and becoming more active, though a return timeline remains unclear. Since Smith last played, Rushing has started 30 games behind the plate. His offense has been uneven (.222 average, .727 OPS), but Roberts credits him with handling defensive duties and game-planning well enough that Los Angeles won 21 of those 30 starts. Baseball operations president Andrew Friedman said the Dodgers aren’t shopping for a front-line catcher before the trade deadline.