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, he’s been dominant, with a 0.97 ERA that’s 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 wasn’t just the loss of an elite hitter.
What if a Dodger backup who’s having a breakout season needed more opportunities to play to help his development?
If you haven’t guessed by now, that younger player is backup catcher Dalton Rushing, who’s 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
Having Dalton Rushing step in for Shohei Ohtani as DH is a win-win
Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain said Rushing can really grow as a player if given more chances to play.
“Dalton Rushing not only needs at-bats, he needs to develop,” McKain said. “He needs to go through slumps, he needs to make adjustments, and you’re only going to hurt him by not giving him more opportunities.”
And the perfect chance to give him more opportunities at the plate is to put him in at DH on Ohtani’s 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 shouldn’t limit Ohtani’s pursuit of his fourth-straight MVP award and could actually help him chase the last major honor he’s yet to earn: the Cy Young.
“If we get 30-30 this season and a sub-2.00 ERA, guess what? Unanimous MVP again,” McKain said. “Hell, if we get sub-3.00 ERA with 25 starts and a 20-homer season, it’s unanimous MVP.”
Do you think both Ohtani and the Dodgers could benefit by putting Rushing in at DH more?
