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On the latest episode of \u201cBaseball Bar-B-Cast,\u201d Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing joined hosts Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman to talk about the art of hitting, what it\u2019s like being part of the Dodgers and more.<\/p>\n
Below are some of the highlights. For the full conversation with Rushing, check out the episode wherever you get your podcasts.<\/p>\n
Shusterman noted that while Rushing is a catcher, hitting has long been his main focus. Through 10 plate appearances in 2026, the 27-year-old is batting .667 with a 2.367 OPS. Shusterman asked him to explain his approach to hitting and what makes hitting an art form.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI think it comes when I get to the point where I\u2019m trying to play the game a little bit with the pitcher, and I\u2019m understanding their moves before they understand what they\u2019re trying to do,\u201d Rushing said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHitting is not just having a great swing. \u2026 Understanding the art of hitting and being able to pick a pitcher apart before he beats you, I think you get get so much satisfaction as a baseball player from it. And there\u2019s really no better feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n
The hosts discussed with Rushing the vast amount of information available to big-league hitters today \u2014 \u201cwe know what color socks each guy is wearing every day,\u201d Rushing quipped \u2014 and how that varies from high school and the lower levels of the minor leagues.<\/p>\n
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\u201cYou know what the guy throws. That\u2019s really it [at lower levels],\u201d Rushing noted. At the same time, he said his approach these days is not all the different.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always taken pride in my plate discipline. So before I take an at-bat, let\u2019s say I\u2019m facing a lefty that throws 88 when I\u2019m a junior in high school. Well, one, I need to know what he\u2019s throwing, what kind of pitches does he throw? And then I just play in my head, like, \u2018What\u2019s the shape? Where do I need to hunt this pitch in order to one, not chase, but two, give myself a chance to do damage?\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd that\u2019s kind of similar to what what I do now. \u2026 I try and match up a plan to give myself the best chance to do two things. Don\u2019t swing at pitches out of the zone and don\u2019t miss pitches in the heart of the plate. That\u2019s my whole game plan.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe standard for you guys is on a different level,\u201d Mintz observed of Rushing\u2019s role as a young catcher working with the Dodgers\u2019 elite rotation.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s not even close, and I don\u2019t think people from the outside looking in really even comprehend the difference,\u201d Rushing agreed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI strike out on four pitches \u2026 and I have to turn around and go catch the greatest left-handed pitcher of all time. And if I miss one pitch call, I might be going back to Oklahoma City. That\u2019s pressure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rushing also noted that the high-stakes dynamic of the Dodgers is different for catchers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe game is so much bigger when you\u2019re in the squat than when you\u2019re standing in the box, especially for a team like this,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are rolling out Cy Young after Cy Young, MVP after MVP, the greatest player to ever play the game today.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI think last year was a huge testament to me learning and understanding what it means to be a big-league catcher. \u2026 and not just a big-league catcher. Be a catcher with the Dodgers, with a team like this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rushing was drafted by the Dodgers in 2022. At that point, the team had won a World Series in 2020 and was considered a top organization in the sport. But since then, as Shusterman noted, the Dodgers have elevated even further. He asked Rushing to reflect on how he felt about being part of the team then vs. now.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt first, it was like, all right, Los Angeles? \u2026 I had mixed feelings,\u201d Rushing said. \u201cI\u2019m not a West Coast kid. I\u2019m from a small town in Tennessee. So it was a little different.<\/p>\n
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\u201cBut getting here and understanding \u2026 how much the city cares about winning. There\u2019s nothing like it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Just as important to Rushing is being part of the organization as a whole.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the best organization in baseball,\u201d he said. \u201cThey say, \u2018All right, wer\u2019e going to build a dynasty.\u2019 We\u2019re going to do it, and I get to be a part of it. \u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cAs long as baseball allows us to be this team. we\u2019re going to be this team. And it\u2019s a blessing. I don\u2019t want to be anywhere else. I want to win as many games as possible. That\u2019s my whole goal, and I think we\u2019re going to do plenty of that over the next eight to 10 years.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n