▲ Dalton Rushing 
▲ On April 22 (KST), Lee Jung-hoo is called out at home against the Dodgers ⓒ Yonhap/AP
[SPOTV News — Reporter Shin Won-chul] He denied the accusation, but questions keep coming.
Dalton Rushing of the Los Angeles Dodgers — who was previously accused of directing profanity at San Francisco’s Lee Jung-hoo — was again caught on camera appearing to shout an insult at a baserunner after allowing a stolen base. The broadcast showed him allegedly calling the runner a derogatory term about his weight. Rushing has already been on the receiving end of retaliation from Logan Webb of the Giants and has yet to rein in his on-field behavior.
On April 26 (KST), Rushing started at catcher for the Dodgers in their 2026 Major League Baseball game against the Chicago Cubs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, helping the team to a 12–4 victory. But once again it was his language, not his defense, that drew attention.
In the top of the third inning, with one out and a runner on first, Rushing mishandled a ball from Roki Sasaki. Miguel Amaya, who was on first base, seized the opportunity and sprinted to second. What looked like a routine defensive error turned into another troubling moment for Rushing.
Television cameras picked up Rushing apparently shouting a profanity at Amaya, reportedly calling him a “fat” expletive. Nico Hoerner, batting at the time, reacted visibly to the outburst. Amaya is listed at 6 ft 1 in, 229 lb (185 cm, 104 kg); Rushing is listed at 6 ft, 218 lb (183 cm, 99 kg).
▲ LA Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing.
Now in his second big-league season and just past 60 career games, Rushing has generated his fourth controversy in the span of a week. The Dodgers — often criticized as a “blue evil empire” — may have a new on-field antagonist.
The flare-up traces back to April 19 in Colorado. After that game, Rushing suggested some Rockies hitters were behaving differently, noting they seemed unusually aggressive on first pitches. “It’s a little fishy,” he said, implying without a direct accusation that sign-stealing might be involved.
The Rockies responded on April 20 by staging a mock “fishing” celebration and rallied past the Dodgers. Mickey Moniak, who homered on a first pitch, said he’d seen Rushing’s comments and added, “We’re going to keep attacking. We won’t miss pitches over the middle of the zone.”
On April 22 against the Giants, viewers suspected Rushing had used an F-word aimed at Lee Jung-hoo. Rushing denied that he was targeting Lee.
San Francisco’s players didn’t seem satisfied. In the next game, Logan Webb hit Rushing with a fastball. Webb downplayed questions about whether it was related to the Lee–Rushing exchange, but many — including Dodgers manager Dave Roberts — treated the pitch as an intentional retaliation.
After being hit, Rushing reached base and later slid hard toward second on a ground ball, lifting his leg high and colliding with Willy Adames of the Giants. That play added fuel to the fire. Then, in the game against the Cubs, cameras again captured Rushing apparently directing an insult at an opponent. It looks like Rushing’s mouth will stay under a microscope for the near future.
▲ Dalton Rushing
