Rookie catcher "had long annoyed Shohei Ohtani"! Manager: He might be the one catching again next game

On Thursday, the Dodgers' two-way Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani took the mound as a pitcher while also batting. "Pitcher Ohtani" pitched six innings, gave up three runs (two earned), recorded eight strikeouts, and secured his eighth victory this season. Meanwhile, "Hitter Ohtani" had two hits in five at-bats, driving in one run. Despite these bright spots on both ends, the game saw tension. Ohtani faced communication issues with rookie catcher Dalton Rushing, creating a very strained atmosphere. Netizens also dug up past incidents, suggesting that Ohtani had long been dissatisfied with Rushing.

In that game, the most notable disagreement was over whether to use the ABS challenge system. Ohtani, who argued for the challenge, ultimately succeeded in reversing the call. Rushing was later pulled aside in the dugout by manager Dave Roberts and veteran Freddie Freeman for a conversation. After the game, he admitted, "It was really embarrassing."

However, netizens uncovered a previous clip: Rushing appeared to wipe a chewed, saliva-covered piece of gum onto Ohtani's glove, which was placed behind his hip. After noticing this, Ohtani gave Rushing a harsh "death stare." With this old incident resurfacing, the working relationship between the two has become a focus of public attention.

According to Fabian Ardaya, the Dodgers beat reporter for The Athletic, Roberts said today that Rushing is very likely to continue as the catcher for Ohtani's next start. Whether Ohtani will call his own pitches remains undecided. The coaching staff will keep communicating and discussing with Rushing, aiming to find the most suitable collaboration for the pair.