Los Angeles Dodgers rookie catcher Dalton Rushing experienced a challenging performance and communication difficulties with starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani during a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis on Wednesday.
Rushing, who stepped into everyday duties due to an injury to Will Smith, miscommunicated on multiple pitch calls during a three-run second inning.
The alignment breakdown prompted Ohtani to take over pitch-calling duties in the subsequent frame, while Rushing also struck out three times during the matchup.
Teammates Offer Support
Following the chaotic second inning, multiple teammates and coaching staff members offered guidance to the 25-year-old rookie backstop in the dugout.
"It's embarrassing that I need support like that," said Rushing. "I'm a grown man.
It's a pretty tough pill to swallow, both sides of the ball. Not a great showing.
It hasn't been great as of late. I'm going to get better."
The miscommunication became prominent when Ohtani fired a 101.7 mph fastball that bypassed Rushing for a passed ball, allowing a run to score.
"I messed it up," said Rushing. "It was my fault."
The inning continued to spiral as the Minnesota Twins drove in two additional runs off Ohtani following another pitch disagreement.
"It's about as difficult as I made it look," said Rushing.
Ohtani ultimately adjusted by selecting his own pitches, finishing six innings while allowing only those second-inning runs.
"Thankfully he's as good as he is and he can take control of the game," said Rushing. "It was pretty embarrassing."
Ohtani explained through an interpreter that the difficulty stemmed from a lack of mutual understanding regarding game strategy and hitter approaches.
"It's more of the in-game flexibility, just reading the swings, reading how the hitters are taking their approach during the game, that I see, where you know where the adjustment needs to happen," said Ohtani.
In the third inning, Ohtani took charge by utilizing a PitchCom device on his bicep to dictate the pitch selection directly.
"There's really a couple ways of communicating," said Ohtani.
"One is by words, but the other way to be able to communicate is by example, and just taking the charge and showing Rush what kind of pitching style I'm capable of."
Manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the growing pains his rookie catcher is experiencing while adjusting to Major League competition.
"It's a work in progress," said Roberts.
In addition to the defensive challenges, Rushing's offensive numbers have dropped since April, resulting in an 0-for-4 night against Minnesota.
"There's a learning curve for everything," said Roberts. "He's still trying to find his way in the big leagues, he's trying to perform offensively."
