Dodgers Considering Dalton Rushing Playing Some Left Field

The Los Angeles Dodgers have to decide how they want to address their outfield need ahead of the 2026 season, and they have a couple different avenues to choose from.

Free agency would be the most straightforward solution, with the most options seemingly readily available. That includes Kyle Tucker, who will be the most expensive candidate the Dodgers can find, but he offers the most immediate upside to the team.

Or they can try their luck with another short-term bridge option similar to Michael Conforto’s signing last offseason and try to coax out better results.

L.A. also reportedly remains interested in trading for Steven Kwan from the Cleveland Guardians. Another solution could possibly be adding to the outfield from within.

Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes suggested that could include Dalton Rushing, who had a limited role as the backup catcher to Will Smith upon making his MLB debut this year, according to Jack Harris of the L.A. Times:

The door also remains open to backup catcher Dalton Rushing potentially getting some time in the outfield again, after he struggled with limited playing time behind Will Smith.

It is not the first time the Dodgers have explored putting Rushing in the outfield. One initial plan to get the 24-year-old to the Majors was having him try playing in left field with Triple-A Oklahoma City at the end of the 2024 season.

Rushing played 31 games at that position last year, and two additional games in 2025 prior to being called up to the Dodgers roster. Despite the Dodgers experimenting with Rushing’s position, Gomes previously said the team viewed catcher as being his long-term future and focus moving forward.

Dalton Rushing’s rookie season stats

Rushing hit .204/.258/.324 with five doubles and four home runs across 142 sporadic at-bats with the Dodgers.

Although the young catcher struggled to produce at a high level offensively last season, he played an important role in the Dodgers’ strategy behind the plate. If the team didn’t feel confident in his bat as a backup, they wouldn’t be so open to resting Smith as much as they did.

The aggressive approach to handling Smith’s workload allowed the veteran to have a career year in 2025.