Dave Roberts, manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, provided an update on August 4, 2026, on Dalton Rushing's UCL tear treatment plan and on Will Smith's rehab progress.
Roberts said Rushing will shut down throwing activity for an extended stretch while the team monitors his recovery. "I think it's just kind of shut down the throwing for four to six weeks," Roberts said during the press conference. He added that after the rest period, the plan is to try to resume hitting while continuing to monitor the elbow, noting "there's a rest period for just the activity and then kind of try to resume hitting."
Asked about Rushing's chances of catching again in the 2026 season, Roberts said the odds are low but not zero. "Personally, I would say it's very small. I hope I'm wrong," he stated. Roberts explained that the team sees little additional risk in waiting to see how Rushing responds to treatment before deciding on next steps, noting there's "not much cost outside of two weeks or whatever to kind of wait and see how he responds to some treatment." He described the injury as something that had been building before it surfaced, saying it "was something that was there and then it just showed itself" on a recent Sunday.
Roberts noted the timing is difficult given Rushing's performance in the 2026 season, mentioning he "has made a lot of strides" and was gaining valuable playing time before the injury. According to Roberts, Rushing has appeared in around 100 games in the 2026 season, and the elbow issue could cost him roughly 100 to 125 total plate appearances or game appearances. Roberts also remarked that Rushing "is a tough kid" and that going through this situation "speaks a lot" about his character. Despite the loss of experience behind the plate, Roberts said he feels good about the current catching tandem, citing catchers' ability to adapt in game situations.
On Will Smith, Roberts said there is no set timeline for when he will face pitching or begin a rehab assignment, noting "there's no timeline as far as when he faces pitching, let alone when he goes out on rehab." Smith is currently swinging in the cage but has not yet taken at-bats on the field, according to Roberts. Separately, Roberts said Pete Crow-Armstrong is having what he called "an MVP type season," pointing to notable improvement against left-handed pitching as a sign of a more complete player.