Dodgers' Dalton Rushing Responds to Narrative Trying to Paint Him as Bad Guy

The Los Angeles Dodgers have enjoyed a lot of success over the years, and sometimes that comes from having competitive guys on the roster.

For the Dodgers, one of these players is young catcher Dalton Rushing, who has been placed into the spotlight numerous times this season. Rushing is a fierce competitor and this fire tends to come out whenever he's on the field.

But over the last few weeks, a few in-game interactions from Rushing have gone viral, resulting in a narrative being created around him. Rushing has drawn criticism around the league from some as a bad guy, and he responded to these narratives being cast on him.

“You never want to be viewed as a guy like that from opposing teams,” Rushing said to the California Post. “You want guys to hate playing against you because of the player that you are and how great you are on a baseball field. Not because of the verbalized things you say.”

Rushing said that the Colorado Rockies made "fishy" swing decisions during a recent series against them, while also being caught using some profanity toward San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee after a plate collision.

All in all, Rushing has seen his performance on the field be pushed to the side due to the criticism, but he isn't letting it impact him. However, Rushing did say that he would try to hone things in, especially with how explosive the new media world can be.

“I’m gonna continue to compete, I’m gonna continue to play with an edge,” he said. “But obviously we can hone back a little bit on things that can get you in trouble in this media world.”

Rushing has been great for the Dodgers to open the season, proving himself capable of potentially being a starter in the league. Overall, he has hit .340 with seven home runs and 17 runs batted in, while posting a very strong 1.221 OPS.

The Dodgers have been very happy with how Rushing has played this year, so it's unfortunate that these other narratives have been cast. But all Rushing can do now is move forward and try to put it all to rest.

Los Angeles is no stranger to having big personalities on the roster, and they'll keep playing Rushing as long as he produces. The young catcher has become a key piece to the Dodgers' offensive attack, but the team will need him to keep his cool for the rest of the season.

“Obviously, you know what social media can turn you into, [how it can] build an image for yourself both positively and negatively,” Rushing said. “So I think from here on out, it’s just my job to build a positive platform for myself.”

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