Two key Dodgers avoid surgery, for now. Will they make full recoveries this year?

When Dalton Rushing and Will Klein initially went down with injuries over the last couple weeks, there was fear they could each need surgery and that their seasons were potentially finished.On Tuesday afternoon, however, both Dodgers players struck considerably more optimistic tones while discussing their recoveries, holding out hope of making full returns this year without going under the knife.“The main worry is getting back on the field for the last however many weeks of the season,” said Rushing, the backup catcher who suffered a slight tear to the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow.“I’m gonna do everything I can to get back and pitch again this year,” added Klein, the right-handed reliever battling bone spurs/loose bodies in his elbow.For now, Rushing seems like the slightly safer bet to be back in some form –– though his chances of catching again this season remain up in the air.While his elbow injury won’t preclude him from hitting (he said he has already resumed swinging a bat barely a week removed from going on the IL), the road to regaining full arm strength (a requirement to play behind the dish and throw out base runners) will be a longer one.California's top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.

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Never miss a story Manager Dave Roberts previously said Rushing would be shut down from throwing for roughly 4-6 weeks, and described the second-year slugger’s chances of catching again this year as “very small.”On Tuesday, however, Rushing expressed more confidence in his chances of getting back to 100% in time for the playoffs; grateful that after several rounds of medical evaluations, “we came to an agreement that surgery is not necessary.”“We’re going to rehab the muscle on the inside of my forearm,” said Rushing, who added that while his UCL ...