Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing has slightly torn UCL in elbow

CHICAGO –– Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing has a diagnosis for his recent elbow injury.As manager Dave Roberts said in a radio interview with AM570 on Tuesday, the second-year slugger has a “slightly torn UCL” in his right throwing arm, though a timeline on his recovery was not immediately clear.“We’re gonna keep the hitting going,” Roberts said of Rushing.“He’s gonna have a slow program with the throwing.”“Don’t know what that looks like for the rest of the season and throughout the postseason,” Roberts added.

“Fortunately, it happened the day before the trade deadline.So… today we’re looking at two new catchers.”Indeed, from a timing standpoint, Rushing’s injury happened just soon enough for the Dodgers –– who have also been without starting catcher Will Smith since early June because of an inflamed disc in his neck –– to find replacements behind the plate.Rushing was scratched from the Dodgers’ lineup on Sunday, after feeling arm pain during pregame catch play.And over the next 48 hours, the team made two catching additions before Monday’s trade deadline, reacquiring familiar faces in Ben Rortvedt and Hunter Feduccia.

They were both added to the active roster before Tuesday’s game, replacing recent minor-league call-ups Eliezer Alfonzo and Chuckie Robinson.The Dodgers are confident Smith will return to action over the stretch run of the season.He started ramping up baseball activities during last week’s homestand, after his lingering injury finally became pain-free.The hope is that Rushing will be able to return, as well, and serve as Smith’s backup come the postseason.At the very least, however, the Dodgers now have ample insurance at the position, allowing them to remain cautious with both Smith’s and Rushing’s recovery progressions....