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Shohei Ohtani will take the mound in the second game of the series against the San Diego Padres after the Dodgers pushed his start back two days, and he’s expected to call his own pitches, per Dodger Blue. Dalton Rushing will be behind the plate again despite an eventful game the last time the two worked together as a battery — one that featured some demonstrative reactions from Rushing and raised questions about their communication on the mound.

Ohtani calling his own game isn’t exactly unprecedented territory for a pitcher of his caliber. He’s one of the most uniquely talented players in baseball history — a legitimate two-way superstar who has been studying hitters and sequencing pitches from both sides of the equation for his entire professional career, dating back to his time with the Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan. Since arriving in MLB with the Angels in 2018, Ohtani has consistently demonstrated an elite understanding of pitch design and usage. His fastball-sweeper-splitter combination is among the nastiest arsenals in the game, and frankly, nobody knows better than Ohtani himself how he wants to attack a lineup. On the mound this season, he’s continued to show why the Dodgers committed historic money to bring him to Los Angeles — his stuff plays up regardless of who’s receiving it, but the pitch-calling element adds another layer to watch.

Rushing, the Dodgers’ top catching prospect who was called up to fill the void left by Will Smith‘s absence, is still very much in the early chapters of his big-league career. He’s a former first-round pick (2024) with a projectable bat and solid defensive tools, but catching a pitcher like Ohtani is a graduate-level assignment for any young backstop. The last outing between these two clearly had some friction — visible reactions from Rushing suggested he and Ohtani weren’t always on the same page with pitch selection. Having Ohtani take over the pitch-calling duties simplifies things for Rushing: focus on receiving, blocking, and framing, and let the guy on the mound handle the chess match.

This is a smart, pragmatic approach by the Dodgers. Rather than forcing chemistry that hasn’t fully developed yet, they’re leaning into Ohtani’s baseball IQ and letting him drive. It also takes pressure off Rushing, who doesn’t need the added stress of trying to stay in sync with one of the most complex pitchers in baseball while he’s still finding his footing at the major league level. With Smith not expected back before the All-Star break, this Ohtani-Rushing battery is going to get more reps together — and this arrangement gives them the best chance to be effective in the meantime. I like the move. It’s practical, it plays to everyone’s strengths, and it keeps the focus where it should be: getting outs against the Padres.

Source(s): Staff (Dodger Blue) | First reported: July 3, 2026 3:22 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers