The short answer is “No!” At least… not yet! Will Smith is entrenched as the Dodger Catcher but is not an everyday player. He needs to have a couple of days each week off from catching. Austin Barnes is getting older. Dalton Rushing is the future platoon partner of Smith. Hunter Feduccia is potentially a great backup Catcher… for many teams. Feduccia is trade bait! There is no need to rush, but the Dodgers may need either a CF or a 2B this season. Let’s add Feduccia to any of the trade scenarios. Some fans say to put Outman and/or Pages in a trade proposal. The problem is that Pages value is low, and Outman’s value is even lower. You can’t just trade players who aren’t doing well and get any value.
It appears that Dalton Rushing is going to catch the majority of the time at OKC. He may play LF occasionally, but it appears that he is Austin Barnes’s replacement. His batting eye is Muncy-esque. In case you weren’t paying attention, Dalton has 13 plate appearances and has reached base 11 times (9 by walks). If it’s not a strike, he ain’t swinging! His batting average is .200, but his OB% is .600! Odds are that one of Smith or Barnes (or both) have IL stints this year, and Feduccia, but especially Rushing, will have to be relied upon to catch some games.
It’s a long season… a lot can happen. Injuries occur. It’s a fact. In 2026, I would love to see Rushing and Smith behind the plate.
How Long are Arms Going to Keep Falling Off?
Jared Diamond wrote a great piece in the Wall Street Journal about this HERE. It’s really quite a problem with no end in sight.
Dodger News & Notes
- The Dodgers optioned infielder Hyeseong Kim and right-hander Bobby Miller this evening. They also reassigned non-roster invitees Giovanny Gallegos, Eddie Rosario, David Bote, Michael Chavis, and top prospect Dalton Rushing to minor league camp.
- Privately, some inside the Dodger Organization are questioning how well Kim will hit… or maybe, if he ever will.
- So, Tony Gonsolin solved the fifth starter competition by injuring himself! Go figure. Now, they may send him on a rehab assignment!
- The 2025 trade deadline is Thursday, July 31st, at 6 p.m. Eastern. This is a slight change from last year’s deadline, which was July 30.
Discussion (26)
Disagree, not disagreeable
I know it will never happen, but sometime in 2025 I would love to see Rushing behind the plate with Smith at second and Edman in center. Everyone else in their expected spots. That, to me, is our best lineup. I know….. I’m dreaming.
I think you mean 26-man roster, of whom 13 will be position players.
Dodgers are taking 31 players to Japan, five of whom won’t be able to play against the Cubs, but will play in scheduled exhibitions against Japanese teams.
I don’t see Bote’s reassignment to the minors precluding him from making the Opening Day roster.
Eight of the nine starters are pretty clear, with Edman playing either CF or 2B. Unless an injury or trade changes things, the bench should include Barnes, Kike, Rojas and Taylor.
That adds up to 12 players.
The 13th, I think, will be either Bote, Outman or Pages.
I also wrote this last year on March 8th:
“Why do I Hate Gavin Lux so Much?”
“Well, I don’t hate Luxie. I was not enamoured with the pick when the Dodgers drafted him, but he has grown on me and I actually like him a lot and respect the hell out of him. If Mookie went back to RF, Gavin Lux would be my 2B, but the Dodgers have made the decision that Mookie is a 2B and he is likely the best second baseman in all of baseball. I know that Gavin has looked bad in the Outfield, but he has never played there before. He’s an athlete and he’s fast and I believe he could be a very good CF as well as a second baseman. It’s just not going to be with the Dodgers.
I admire Gavin’s grit, and his effort to come back from a devestating injury… and don’t say “he needs more rehab.” It his arm, not his knee… well maybe it’s his head as well, but he just needs to forget SS and go 2B or the outfield and blossom.”
A year ago, I wrote this: Is Austin Barnes as Bad as You Think?
https://ladodgertalk.com/2024/03/17/is-austin-barnes-as-bad-as-you-think/
Why Austin Barnes is still the Dodgers’ Backup Catcher is explained by The LA Times Jack Harris:
It didn’t take long at the start of his career for Austin Barnes to know what the Dodgers valued in their backup catchers.
“When I came up here, I realized early they weren’t gonna let you catch here unless you knew how to handle the defensive side,” he said. “They don’t just trust you out there.”
So, he went about trying to earn their faith with his play behind the plate.
And nine years later, he hasn’t yet lost it.
Harries goes on to write this about Barnsie:
But for a respected veteran with an outsized influence in the clubhouse — not to mention another season remaining on the two-year, $7-million extension he signed in July 2022 — Barnes’ turnaround has nonetheless been a welcome sight.
“Barnsy’s a winner,” said teammate Clayton Kershaw, the only current Dodgers player who has been with the club longer. “Obviously, his offensive numbers, when you look at it on paper aren’t great. But that’s not what he’s here to do. He’s here to help us win. And he does that behind the plate, the way he calls games, and the way he competes. He’s really good at it. It’s hard to describe.”
Indeed, Barnes has always made his biggest marks under the radar.
He has long been one of the majors’ better catchers at framing pitches and stealing strikes.
Oh, and one last thing, which is likely the biggest:
He has met the Dodgers’ lofty game-planning and pitch-calling demands from their backstops, serving as the primary catcher in all three of their recent World Series trips.
He has built a strong rapport with a star-studded list of battery mates, as well, his bond with Kershaw — whose 81 regular-season starts with Barnes are topped only by former Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis — most of all.
“He’s fun to be around,” Kershaw said, before stopping himself with a chuckle. “Well, I don’t know if he’s fun to be around, but he’s entertaining.”
Meaning?
“One of his skills is, he can call people out, but people think it’s funny,” Kershaw explained. “When other people do that, they take offense. But Barnsey has a really good feel for making fun of guys, or giving people a hard time, and them taking it well. It’s a skill. It’s a personality trait.”
My question about catching is Barnesy. He’s a lot more valuable than most fans think. Calls a great game and has the pitchers confidence.
I assume he’ll leave when Kershaw retires – this year/next? Like AJ Ellis, he’s Kersh’s catcher so I wonder if he MIGHT leave before Kersh is ready? He’ll still command a major league contract for another year or three. Maybe, come back as a Dodgers catching coach?
Mark–Smith is still an everyday player. All catchers need regular time off.
Dave Roberts said that Mookie was under the weather yesterday.
I think I misread it’s like Bear said 32 players can travel, 29 on the roster but only 26 are eligible for the two game series against the Cubs.
I’m not sure this is correct:
Privately, some inside the Dodger Organization are questioning how well Kim will hit… or maybe, if he ever will.
I think the fact that Kim needed serious swing changes ASAP have been documented and that retooling process was clearly evident.
That said, we’ve come a long way from:
The Dodgers Can Afford Hyeseong Kim at 2B… I don’t mean financially… I mean offensively!
Bear, I just read 29 active players and 3 are exempt for the travel roster for a total of 32 players. Do you think this is correct?
Dave Roberts reported Mookie was a little under the weather yesterday.
Any information about Mookie not being in the lineup.
Does anyone know what the 28 man roster looks like? I was surprised Bote didn’t at least make the 28 man roster for the Japan series. I am thinking they must be carrying 15 pitchers and 13 position players. You have to wonder what spring training is all about if you put up the numbers Bote did and then don’t make the team. It should have at least earned him a plane ride. I am hoping he catches on with another team. Anyway we have a great team this year. The best that I can remember.
Told yall Bote wasn’t making the team.
We may see him at some point, but I never thought he’d make the team outta camp…
Judging from the photos I have seen of the Tokyo Dome, the Cubs are going to feel somewhat slighted. There are posters of Ohtani everywhere. Didn’t see any of Imanaga or Suzuki. May will stay behind to prepare for his 5th starter assignment. I would bet Rosario will opt out of his minor league deal. Bote, I believe will go to OKC and just be ready in case of injury.