Overview
- Multiple outlets and the Dodgers confirmed that Rushing had a hybrid internal‑brace operation on his right elbow on Wednesday, Oct. 21 to repair a partial UCL tear.
- Medical projections put his return to full‑time catching at roughly nine months, with a staged return to hitting possible well before he is cleared to catch.
- Rushing missed time in August after the injury and was briefly used as a hitting‑only option late in the season before being left off the Dodgers' NLDS and NLCS rosters.
- The surgery heightens roster pressure for early 2027 because Will Smith remains the entrenched starter and the Dodgers already added Hunter Feduccia and other catchers at midseason to cover Rushing's absence.
- Rushing, who hit .246 with 12 homers and a .788 OPS in 2026, faces a rehab path that will shape his playing time and development next season and could push the team to decide whether he stays in the majors as a pinch hitter or gets regular at‑bats in Triple‑A while he recovers.