Ginn goes 8 innings and Gelof hits one of four A's homers in 12-1 rout of Phillies
Athletics dominate Phillies 12-1 with strong performances from Ginn and Gelof.
Dalton Rushing may provide a solution for the Dodgers regarding Shohei Ohtani's performance issues. Ohtani excels as a pitcher but is struggling as a hitter, prompting discussions on his role.
Apr 27, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing (68) and two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) score on a walk-off single by right fielder Kyle Tucker (23) in the ninth inning to defeat the Miami Marlins at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
The hot debate in Los Angeles Dodgers fandom has been hotly debating what the team should do with two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.
As a starting pitcher, heâs been dominant, with a 0.97 ERA thatâs leading all of Major League Baseball.
As a hitter, though, Ohtani has been in a bit of a slump, enough so that manager Dave Roberts has had his star not hit on days in which he pitches.
For a player who once hit three home runs and struck out 10 batters over six scoreless innings in the same game, some have argued sitting Ohtani as a hitter is limiting the impact he can have on a game.
But what if having Ohtani stay out of the batting order once every six games wasnât just the loss of an elite hitter.
What if a Dodger backup whoâs having a breakout season needed more opportunities to play to help his development?
Dalton Rushing is a catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In 2026, Shohei Ohtani has a dominant pitching record with a 0.97 ERA, but he is experiencing a slump as a hitter.
Manager Dave Roberts has opted to have Ohtani not hit on days he pitches due to his recent struggles at the plate.
Dodgers fans are debating how the team should manage Ohtani's dual role given his pitching success and hitting slump.
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If you havenât guessed by now, that younger player is backup catcher Dalton Rushing, whoâs already filled in for Ohtani as DH a few times this season.
Apr 27, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing (68) and two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) score on a walk-off single by right fielder Kyle Tucker (23) in the ninth inning to defeat the Miami Marlins at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Dodgers Nationâs Doug McKain said Rushing can really grow as a player if given more chances to play.
âDalton Rushing not only needs at-bats, he needs to develop,â McKain said. âHe needs to go through slumps, he needs to make adjustments, and youâre only going to hurt him by not giving him more opportunities.â
And the perfect chance to give him more opportunities at the plate is to put him in at DH on Ohtaniâs bump days on a regular basis, not just a decision to be made game-to-game.
Furthermore, missing a good chunk of his at-bats shouldnât limit Ohtaniâs pursuit of his fourth-straight MVP award and could actually help him chase the last major honor heâs yet to earn: the Cy Young.
âIf we get 30-30 this season and a sub-2.00 ERA, guess what? Unanimous MVP again,â McKain said. âHell, if we get sub-3.00 ERA with 25 starts and a 20-homer season, itâs unanimous MVP.â
Do you think both Ohtani and the Dodgers could benefit by putting Rushing in at DH more?