Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing found himself on the wrong side of a moment of confusion with the umpire Tuesday night, and it cost him a strikeout.
In the fifth inning, Rushing was hitting and asked the umpire for a timeout, which the umpire appeared to acknowledge and grant.
Rushing, however, was then called for a pitch-clock violation, resulting in strike three.
Video posted to social media appears to back up Rushing’s account of the incident, and it also captured his expletive-laden reaction in the dugout.
After the game, manager Dave Roberts confirmed that Rushing was in the right, though he alleged no ill will on the part of the umpire.
“Dalton called timeout, and I just saw the replay. He called timeout and he said it twice and I just think the umpire didn’t hear it clearly,” Roberts said. “I know he wasn’t just trying to blatantly do wrong by Dalton, but I just don’t think he heard it. But I did see a head nod, too. So, you assume that he heard it and acknowledged, but clearly he didn’t.”
Dave Roberts says Dalton Rushing did indeed call a timeout in today’s game and was rightfully upset when the umpire didn’t hear him:“Dalton called a timeout, he said it twice, I just saw the replay. I don’t think he heard it.”
Roberts added that he “wasn’t surprised” that Rushing was upset after that strikeout.
“He was upset because he called time out,” Roberts said.
So far in 2026, no Dodger has caught more flak than Rushing.
He’s intimated that the Colorado Rockies were cheating, and he’s been caught on camera — twice — swearing about opponents.
In the first instance, against the San Francisco Giants, he appeared to say “f— ’em” about Jung Hoo Lee after a play at the plate appeared to leave Lee shaken up.
The next day, he took a fastball to the ribs, though he and Giants pitcher Logan Webb both downplayed the incident.
Then, after Miguel Amaya stole a base on Rushing, the Dodger appeared to call his Cubs counterpart a “fat f—.”
Amid the tumult, Rushing has taken advantage of his limited opportunities at the plate.
In 14 games so far, he’s slashing .349/.429/.884 with seven home runs and 16 RBIs.
With stats like that, it’s easy to see why he keeps getting at-bats, controversy or not.