For a catcher, gloving pitches is only part of the job. Building trust with the pitcher, managing the game, and staying in sync are equally important. That’s what was at the heart of the recent incident between Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing and superstar Shohei Ohtani. Now, two Dodgers stars have weighed in on the situation.

“And you know, for Rush, he’s got to learn that there’s, and this is one of those moments where it was like, ‘Hey, sometimes Sho wants to throw a pitch that maybe isn’t the best pitch to throw,’” Max Muncy said to Mookie Betts during a chat on On Base. 

The Dodgers were in Minnesota last week, and during the game, there was a slight communication error between Ohtani and Rushing. The catcher missed a fastball and even disagreed on the review, expecting an off-speed pitch. The Dodgers’ starter went for the review against Dalton Rushing, signaling him not to.

Ultimately, Ohtani was proven right as the call was overturned. But it was the miss that resulted in a run, and then Shohei Ohtani started calling the pitches instead of waiting for Rushing’s suggestions. He was visibly unhappy. 

While it worked in favor of the Dodgers, many noticed the tension building between the two, and that’s exactly what Muncy and Betts were discussing on the podcast.

They highlighted how the pitchers have good communication with Smith behind the plate, and he understands them as well. But Rushing has to learn the same as well. Even though he is a rookie, both Muncy and Betts think he has to step up, and they aren’t just criticizing the young catcher. 

In fact, they called it a learning moment for the team and acknowledged that they might not have handled the situation any better had they been in his shoes. Muncy also admitted how difficult the responsibilities are, while stating how “[Dalton Rushing] has done an amazing job handling it.”

The duo especially praised the catcher for taking accountability after the incident. 

“It’s my job, whether I’m 25 years old or 35 years old, to say, ‘Look, I’m wearing this, this is my fault,’” Rushing had said after the game. “I need to move forward. I need to grow from this. And I need to make sure we bring good out of this.”

And it earned him a lot of faith from the entire clubhouse, particularly the manager. 

“It’s not always going to be synced up, but I think that where it got to the other day, I really don’t see that happening going forward,” Dave Roberts reflected on the incident from June 24.

Later, Freddie Freeman had also shown support for Dalton Rushing, and now Muncy and Betts are doing the same.