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Dalton Rushing running the bases against the Angels during Saturday’s 15-2 win. (Eric Thayer \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n
Dalton Rushing<\/a>\u2019s first year in the big leagues with the Dodgers<\/a> didn\u2019t go quite as planned.<\/p>\n Over 53 games after his May call-up, the highly regarded prospect batted .204 with a .258 on-base percentage, .582 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, four home runs and 24 RBIs. It was the only time in his baseball life \u2014 aside from his freshman year at the University of Louisville \u2014 that Rushing was not a regular fixture in his team\u2019s lineup.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was very, very up and down,\u201d Rushing said. \u201cIt was some good, some bad, some ugly. A lot of things were new to me; the scattering [of] playing time was tough. It was a little tough being able to stay on top of compete mode, keep the swing in a good spot.”<\/p>\n But it still yielded a satisfying end result.<\/p>\n Read more:Yoshinobu Yamamoto gets his work in during Dodgers’ Cactus League opener as WBC looms<\/a><\/p>\n “I got to win a World Series with this team,” Rushing said. “And it\u2019s hard to look back and think, \u2018I\u2019d take this back or I\u2019d take that back.\u2019 It went exactly how it was planned.\u201d<\/p>\n With three-time All-Star catcher Will Smith in front of him, Rushing\u2019s role is clear: He is the Dodgers\u2019 backup catcher. Manager Dave Roberts<\/a> feels good about Rushing\u2019s progression.<\/p>\n \u201cDalton\u2019s in a good spot right now,\u201d Roberts said last week. \u201cI want him to understand his role as a backup catcher, what that entails, really learn the pitchers, learn the swing that works for playing a couple times a week. He\u2019s used to playing a lot more. But I think that [he\u2019s] still maturing, because it\u2019s not easy to not play every day when you\u2019re used to [playing regularly]. I think that he grew last year, and I like where he\u2019s at.\u201d<\/p>\n Roberts plans to use Rushing at first base if Freddie Freeman comes out of the game or needs a day off. Rushing will not, however, play in the outfield, where he played a bit in the minor leagues.<\/p>\n \u201cOutfield\u2019s not on the table\u201d, Roberts said. \u201cI do think that there\u2019s going to be some spots for him to come into games if Freddie\u2019s out or if there\u2019s a game he doesn\u2019t play, we\u2019ll see how that lines up. And I think right now for me, just seeing how the roster plays out as far as what are the options we might have at first base, but I do want to get him at-bats when I can.\u201d<\/p>\n Rushing started Saturday’s Cactus League opener against the Angels, driving in a run on a sacrifice fly in three plate appearances. The 25-year-old said he\u2019s fully embracing his spot on a club vying for its third consecutive championship.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I can keep myself ready to play two or three times a week, then it\u2019s going to be easy to keep myself ready to play five or six,” Rushing said. “To be able to go through something like this early in my career, where I have to not only earn the time on the field, but also navigate my way through my career, I think it\u2019s a really good start to my career, to be able to understand how this game works.\u201d<\/p>\n Rushing also views playing behind Smith as a valuable opportunity to learn from one baseball\u2019s best catchers, something he believes will help him grow as a player.<\/p>\n \u201cI have a spot to work behind the best catcher in baseball,\u201d Rushing said. \u201cAnd from there, I\u2019m going to be given opportunities to see more time on the field, to get my bat in there as much as possible, and it\u2019s up to me to take advantage of those opportunities and continue to put myself on the field as much as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n Read more:What to expect with MLB’s ABS system, and how Dodgers will navigate it<\/a><\/p>\n Rushing says he does not have personal goals he hopes to reach. This season is about team success and winning.<\/p>\n \u201cThe main goal especially with this role is I\u2019m going to win as many [games as] possible,\u201d Rushing said. \u201cEvery game I\u2019m on the field, I want to win. I want to win 110 games in the regular season as a Dodger. We\u2019re fully capable of it. I think that\u2019s a good goal to put for ourselves, and it just makes each and every game that much important.\u201d<\/p>\n Shohei Ohtani throws live BP before departing for WBC<\/p>\n Before the Dodgers’ 5-1 win over the San Diego Padres in Peoria, Ariz., on Sunday, Shohei Ohtani threw 33 pitches in a live batting practice session at Camelback Ranch and struck out Freeman and Mookie Betts.<\/p>\n “I felt pretty good about today in terms of volume,” Ohtani said via interpreter Will Ireton. “While in Japan, I plan to do some sort of live BP, bullpen, some kind of simulation.”<\/p>\n After the game, Roberts revealed the star two-way player was expected to depart either Sunday night or Monday to join Team Japan for preparations for next month’s World Baseball Classic.<\/p>\n