Dalton Rushing’s Struggles Boiled Over With Bat-Related Self-Abuse

Dalton Rushing screaming into his hands after a strikeout. | Spectrum SportsNet LA

Dalton Rushing started behind the plate for the Dodgers on Thursday night as they wrapped up a four game homestand against the Giants as Will Smith got some rest and DH'd with Shohei Ohtani sitting out a second straight game.

Rushing hit seven home runs in the first three weeks of the season, but has just seven base hits in the last month and went 0-for-4 in his last start. He has only struck out 21 times in 22 games this season, but boy is he making a decent percentage of those K's memorable. Two weeks ago against the Marlins he managed to strike out on just two pitches after he and the umpire had some poor communication.

He did not turn things around on Thursday as he went 0-for-3 at the plate with three strikeouts. By the time he did it for the second and third time he was losing it.

Rushing came to the plate in the bottom of the second with two runners on and two outs. He struck out looking and then challenged the call, which he lost.

Things got worse in the fourth when he again struck out, leaving Teoscar Hernández on second. Rushing shook his head, but mostly kept it together until he reached the dugout. That's when he broke his bat over his knee. As he sat down to put his equipment on his slammed his leg protector in place and then continued to complain to no one in particular about the strikeout until teammate Emmet Sheehan came over to talk to him.

Dalton Rushing broke one bat over his knee and hit himself in the helmet with another pic.twitter.com/LyZuyMJqQr

— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 15, 2026

If you let the video keep playing you already know Rushing also struck out swinging in the bottom of the sixth in a tie game with two runners in scoring position. This time he hit himself in the helmet with his bat before sitting down on the bench where he was seen screaming into his hands. The broadcast suggested teammates were laughing and trying not to make eye contact, which is the most obvious sign someone is completely overreacting to something.

チャンスで三振して今度は自分のバットで頭を叩き何やら叫ぶラッシング
笑いをこらえるシーアン達ｗ pic.twitter.com/28DShpLK5H

— 𝕪𝕦𝕜𝕚 (@Shohei17toR) May 15, 2026

The Dodgers proceeded to have a three-run rally with two outs as Rushing melted down in the dugout and went on to win the game 5-2.

As bad as its been for Rushing lately, his hot start means he's still tied with Shohei Ohtani for the third most home runs on the team and is third in batting average. He's also put up a slash line of .288/.365/.636 while taking the 11th most at-bats on the team. At this point the team is just hoping he can get settle somewhere in between automatic out and scorching hot. No longer assaulting himself with his own bat every trip to the plate would be a good start.

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