Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing addressed the media on June 24, 2026, taking full responsibility for what he described as an embarrassing performance behind the plate.
"Start to finish it was pretty embarrassing," Rushing said during the press conference, adding that his struggles have extended beyond a single game. "Both sides of the ball — it was not a great showing and hasn't been great as of late." He acknowledged that the pitch-calling breakdown was squarely his fault, stating, "It was an error on my side and I messed it up."
Pitcher Sho took over pitch-calling duties during the game, a move that served a dual purpose: helping the team win and giving Rushing a clearer picture of what Sho prefers on the mound. Rushing noted that Sho's ability to command the game was decisive, saying, "Thankfully he's as good as he is and he could take control of a game." Rushing also mentioned that after watching Sho call his own pitches for four innings, "I got a better idea" of the pitcher's tendencies going forward. Manager Dave Roberts and Freddy came to the mound to offer support to Rushing during the difficult inning.
Despite that visible support from his teammates and manager, Rushing acknowledged the discomfort of needing it, stating, "It's embarrassing that I need support like that. I'm a grown man."
Looking ahead, Rushing pointed to the team's upcoming off day as a chance to reset mentally. "It will be a good reset — forget about what's happened this last month," he said, emphasizing his goal to return to contributing on both sides of the ball: "I just want to get back to doing my part and helping on both sides of the ball."