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Dalton Rushing (25), the Los Angeles Dodgers catcher who has emerged as the new 'troublemaker' and villain of the Major League Baseball (MLB) this season, once again turned the field upside down with an uncontrollable outburst. He drew intense attention from local media after performing a shocking act of self-harm, striking his own head with his bat after striking out.
The U.S. media outlet 'New York Post' reported on the 16th (Korean time), "Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing exploded with violent anger in the dugout after striking out and hit himself with his bat," highlighting his uncontrollable state.
Rushing started as the seventh hitter and catcher in the home game against the San Francisco Giants held at the UCLA Field at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on the previous day (15th), but collapsed miserably with 3 hits in 3 at-bats and 3 strikeouts. He managed only one walk. The Dodgers won 5-2, extending their winning streak to two games, but it was a day marred by madness for Rushing.
Rushing's anger erupted on this day during his second at-bat in the bottom of the 4th inning. After striking out again in the bottom of the 2nd inning, he could not contain his rage and smashed his bat against his thigh, breaking it into two pieces.
The highlight came in the bottom of the 6th inning. With runners on second and third in a critical situation, Rushing swung and missed three times against left-handed pitcher Matt Gaige, resulting in a strikeout. Completely losing his reason, Rushing returned to the dugout and relentlessly struck his helmet and head with his baseball bat. His image, captured by broadcast cameras, was shocking. Afterward, he sat on a dugout bench, buried his face in his hands, and let out a scream.
Even more bizarre was the reaction of the Dodgers dugout. Despite Rushing's chilling act of self-harm, his teammates did not even try to stop him; instead, they were seen stifling laughter from behind, as if such incidents were familiar. The scene was fully captured on broadcast screens. The New York Post also focused on this moment, suggesting that Rushing's 'anger management disorder'-level behavior has become routine within the team.
Rushing, who has posted solid stats this season with a .288 batting average (19 hits in 66 at-bats) and 7 home runs in 22 games, is playing a full season as the backup to Dodgers starting catcher Will Smith. However, beyond his skills, he has already been branded as the entire MLB's 'villain' due to off-field controversies.
In particular, he is already labeled a 'villain' among domestic baseball fans. In April, during a game against the San Francisco Giants, after tagging out Lee Jung-hoo, a rival star, while he was attempting to score, Rushing showed a rude attitude, seemingly mocking him despite concerns about injury, drawing public outrage. He later explained that he apologized to Lee Jung-hoo through his teammate Kim Hye-seong (27) to clear up misunderstandings, but fans both domestically and internationally remain cold toward him. This was compounded by an incident during a game against the Chicago Cubs, where he hurled overtly insulting and abusive language at an opposing player, calling him "Fat f—k."
Recently, Rushing stated in interviews with local media outlets such as The Athletic and California Post that he would "try to shed the 'bad dude' image recently pinned on him," expressing his intention to reflect. However, this latest dugout self-harm incident revealed that his resolve was nothing but a blatant lie, lasting only a few weeks.
While Rushing possesses exceptional skills, his character and mental state are described as a ticking bomb, and criticism from U.S. local media and fans is intensifying. In particular, local fans are calling for him to "need to mature a bit more."
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*This content was translated by AI.
