Dodgers’ Max Muncy Sends 4-Word Dalton Rushing Message After Viral Shohei Ohtani Spat

The Los Angeles Dodgers have asked young catcher Dalton Rushing to take on one of the toughest jobs in baseball: working with a pitching staff expected to carry the team deep into the playoffs while perennial All-Star backstop Will Smith recovers from a significant injury.

And that job is made all the more difficult when catching for two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, who holds himself and his teammates to very high standards.

That challenge came into sharp focus last week, when a visibly frustrated Ohtani reacted to Rushing’s pitch selection during a game in Minnesota. The exchange quickly spread across social media, prompting widespread discussion about Rushing’s development and the pressures of handling one of baseball’s biggest stars.

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Los Angeles Dodgers’ Viral Shohei Ohtani Moment Becomes Learning Experience For Dalton Rushing

As Rushing seized the spotlight earlier this season for some significant prowess at the plate, he was also the subject of headlines after dangerous baserunning decisions and trash talk toward other teams.

Then, while serving as Ohtani’s catcher, he was embroiled in some additional drama.

“Eight days ago, when Rushing was behind the plate in Minneapolis, Ohtani became visibly irritated with his pitch selection and his passivity in challenging pitches, at one point vehemently tapping his head to trigger a video review of a borderline call,” Alden Gonzalez recalled for ESPN. “As the game went on, Rushing, 25 and in his second year in the big leagues, was consoled in the dugout by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and first baseman Freddie Freeman, among others. Afterward, Rushing accepted the blame and called it ‘embarrassing that I need support like that.’”

Rather than allowing the incident to linger, though, the Dodgers have continued giving Rushing opportunities behind the plate, viewing the experience as part of the normal learning curve for a young catcher.

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Los Angeles Dodgers Veteran Max Muncy Offers Simple Response For Rookie Catcher

Veteran third baseman Max Muncy summarized the expected takeaway for Rushing with a simple, four-word message after the incident.

“He’s got to learn,” the infielder said, during a recent appearance on teammate Mookie Betts’ “On Base” podcast.

Speaking after the incident, Muncy made it clear that he believes Rushing will do just that and ultimately benefit from working through the adversity.

“Obviously you don’t want any of that to happen with your teammates, but I think it’s a good growing moment for both guys,” Muncy added. “Sometimes things can speed up during the game… It’s experience that you learn to deal with that.”

The Dodgers appear committed to letting Rushing develop through those experiences rather than shielding him from them. For a club with championship aspirations, that patience reflects its confidence that the highly regarded young catcher will ultimately emerge stronger from moments like the one that recently went viral.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

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