WEBVTT - Dalton Rushing (1-15-26)

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<v Speaker 1>And now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talk.

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<v Speaker 1>We are joined right now by one of my favorite people,

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<v Speaker 1>a man that made himself known to Major League baseball,

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<v Speaker 1>making his major league debut so many first last year

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<v Speaker 1>for Dalton Rushing. Can't wait for his sophomore season with

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<v Speaker 1>the Dodgers and he will have a new teammate and

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<v Speaker 1>Kyle Tucker. Dalton Rushing, Welcome to Dodger Talk.

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<v Speaker 2>How you doing. I'm doing good.

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<v Speaker 1>Good to hear from you that, Hey, this was great timing.

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<v Speaker 1>We set this up a while ago, and it's the

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<v Speaker 1>night that Kyle Tucker signs with the Dodgers. I wasn't

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<v Speaker 1>expecting that.

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<v Speaker 2>Almost like you knew something.

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<v Speaker 1>Man, how much I don't know. How much do you

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<v Speaker 1>guys talk about these things amongst each other, about whether

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<v Speaker 1>or not a guy like Tucker may sign with you

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<v Speaker 1>or is it just something that you sit back and

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<v Speaker 1>watch and wait and see.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I think it's I think it's kind of cool

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<v Speaker 2>to just watch it unfold. Obviously, free agency for any

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<v Speaker 2>players an exciting time, also hectic, but yeah, I mean

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<v Speaker 2>it pops up tonight and you see it. You want

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<v Speaker 2>to be surprised. But at the same time, it's every

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<v Speaker 2>team tries to win a World Series every year, and

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<v Speaker 2>Dodgers are willing to do whatever.

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<v Speaker 1>What was it like for you last year being part

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<v Speaker 1>of this team that obviously has a World Series on

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<v Speaker 1>their minds when they report to spring training. For you

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<v Speaker 1>to get the call in the middle of the season

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<v Speaker 1>and to have big hits for this team and to

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<v Speaker 1>be there, you know, for and be a big part

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<v Speaker 1>of it. What was it like your first full season?

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<v Speaker 2>It was good. Overall. The main goal with any team

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<v Speaker 2>you ever played for it that level is going to

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<v Speaker 2>win a World Series, and so on that side, very successful.

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<v Speaker 2>It was an unbelievable group, I think, I would say

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<v Speaker 2>obviously from looking in beforehand, you get to play with

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<v Speaker 2>some of the best players in baseball still, and I

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<v Speaker 2>think that itself is a huge privilege for young guys,

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<v Speaker 2>especially your rookie year, to see the things that I saw,

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<v Speaker 2>learn the things that I did with like I said,

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<v Speaker 2>the guys surrounding me.

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<v Speaker 1>Dalton Rushing is joining us tonight on Dodger Talk and Dalton,

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<v Speaker 1>just thinking back to your season, People ask me all

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<v Speaker 1>the time about my favorite moment of the year of

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<v Speaker 1>the World Series. But if somebody were to ask me

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<v Speaker 1>about my favorite Dalton rushing moment of the season last

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<v Speaker 1>year was your game in San Diego where you had

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<v Speaker 1>a huge home run against the Padres on that day

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<v Speaker 1>game to kind of remind the Padres that you guys

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<v Speaker 1>are still here and at that time the race was

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<v Speaker 1>really close. When you think back to your season last year,

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<v Speaker 1>is that one of the games one of the moments

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<v Speaker 1>that sticks out to you?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I would say that was for sure. I wouldn't

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<v Speaker 2>say the highlight. Obviously, you win the World Series, that's

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<v Speaker 2>your highlight. But for me, it was kind of a

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<v Speaker 2>moment of things weren't going my way for a little bit,

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<v Speaker 2>and so you kind of you fill your team around

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<v Speaker 2>you support you, and you do something like that. But

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<v Speaker 2>like you said, it was a big game for that

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<v Speaker 2>time of the year. But I just I was glad

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<v Speaker 2>that I was able to help the team win on

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<v Speaker 2>that Sunday day game and allow us to do the

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<v Speaker 2>things that we did later in the year.

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<v Speaker 1>Regardless, when did you start to settle into the season

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<v Speaker 1>once you got called up.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I feel like the guys did a really good

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<v Speaker 2>job of making you feel pretty at home early on.

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<v Speaker 2>It doesn't really feel as I guess uptied as people

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<v Speaker 2>would think from the outside. As far as being a

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<v Speaker 2>rookie on a team like that, I think it's the

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<v Speaker 2>Dodgers just do a good job of surrounding you with

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<v Speaker 2>good people, good resources, and comes with that as some

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<v Speaker 2>of the best players in the world. So yeah, it's

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<v Speaker 2>it wasn't too bad to kind of like feel like

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<v Speaker 2>I was a part of the guys very soon if

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<v Speaker 2>you guys took me under their wing and just kind

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<v Speaker 2>of allowed me to learn as much as I could

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<v Speaker 2>for being in the position and playing the role that

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<v Speaker 2>I played.

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<v Speaker 1>Dalton Rushing is our guest on Dodger Talk. It's the

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<v Speaker 1>night that the Dodgers signed Kyle Tucker to a four

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<v Speaker 1>year contract, and you know, going back all the way

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<v Speaker 1>back to November, Brandon Gomes was talking about how the

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<v Speaker 1>Dodgers wanted to get you more at bats this upcoming season.

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<v Speaker 1>He even mentioned the possibility of you getting some reps

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<v Speaker 1>in the outfield. I guess that's over with now, Dalton's

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<v Speaker 1>psych Kyle Tucker, did you ever did you ever pick

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<v Speaker 1>up your outfield glove again this offseason?

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I've just kind of tried to go at this

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<v Speaker 3>offseason with the attack plan of basically being available for

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<v Speaker 3>whatever options that I can play, and playing a little

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<v Speaker 3>bit of left field that I played in twenty four

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<v Speaker 3>gave me the idea that I think I could do

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<v Speaker 3>it at a decent level at least being a catcher.

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<v Speaker 2>So I've kind of prepared my body for any outcome

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<v Speaker 2>or whatever they may need out of me.

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<v Speaker 1>You seem pretty comfortable at first base last year. How

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<v Speaker 1>did that happen so seamlessly?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah? It was so. I played a lot of first

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<v Speaker 2>base in college. I actually played majority first base my

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<v Speaker 2>first two years in college before the final season in

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<v Speaker 2>twenty two, so I had a little experience there obviously,

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<v Speaker 2>never at this level. I had played a handful of

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<v Speaker 2>games throughout the miners there, so it wasn't completely foreign,

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<v Speaker 2>but they for sure kind of pushed me on that

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<v Speaker 2>side of the ball, just trying to stay as clean

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<v Speaker 2>as possible.

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<v Speaker 1>Do you feel pretty comfortable at first space.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, of course. I mean it's like I said, I've

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<v Speaker 2>played at plenty so I have the I guess you

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<v Speaker 2>could say I have the trust in myself over there

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<v Speaker 2>to go over there whenever they ask and play a

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<v Speaker 2>pretty good first base. But with that being said, I

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<v Speaker 2>think first base is really just a repetition thing. So

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<v Speaker 2>that's something that I kind of have to be ahead

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<v Speaker 2>of myself as far as like keeping myself busy even

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<v Speaker 2>when I'm not over there.

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<v Speaker 1>This spring training is going to be a great opportunity

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<v Speaker 1>with the World Baseball Classic and Will Smith playing for

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<v Speaker 1>Team USA, that means there's a lot of opportunities for

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<v Speaker 1>Dalton Rushing to not have Will Smith, you know, taking

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<v Speaker 1>up the normal Will Smith playing time. Has that entered

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<v Speaker 1>your mind that this spring training you're really going to

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<v Speaker 1>have an opportunity to get into the rhythm of the season.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I honestly just I'm showing up to spring training

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<v Speaker 2>expecting both of us to get what we need to

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<v Speaker 2>be ready, obviously him being pushed at a little quicker pace.

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<v Speaker 2>But at the same time, whenever they ask, that's what

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<v Speaker 2>I want to do. And like I said earlier, that's

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<v Speaker 2>kind of the attack that I've taken into the off season,

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<v Speaker 2>just being able to prepare for any outcome. And with

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<v Speaker 2>that being said, whether they want me to catch a

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<v Speaker 2>ton in spring training, whatever it may be, I want

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<v Speaker 2>to make sure that I'm ready for it. Hey.

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<v Speaker 1>The one thing that I'll always remember about Dalton Rushing

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<v Speaker 1>three years ago. If that was maybe two or three

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<v Speaker 1>years ago, your first big league camp, I was. I

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<v Speaker 1>was so impressed about your understanding and emphasis on the

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<v Speaker 1>picture catcher relationship. You don't hear too many young ca

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<v Speaker 1>ac talk about it the way you did. You had

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<v Speaker 1>such a great understanding about how every picture is different.

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<v Speaker 1>You got to speak to them differently to really connect

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<v Speaker 1>with them. When did you really understand the value of

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<v Speaker 1>the picture catcher relationship.

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<v Speaker 2>I feel like it's kind of It's been important in

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<v Speaker 2>the game obviously forever, but I guess you would say

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<v Speaker 2>pro ball. I kind of get into pro ball obviously.

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<v Speaker 2>You see your college players like a good bit, but

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<v Speaker 2>pro ball, you see these guys every single day, day

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<v Speaker 2>in day out. You know their routines, you know their tendencies,

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<v Speaker 2>things like that, and so the better being their catcher,

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<v Speaker 2>you understand those guys. It just makes it easier for

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<v Speaker 2>you two to click and build the trust within each other.

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<v Speaker 2>I think trust is the biggest word there, and the

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<v Speaker 2>more you trust each other, the better the execution is better.

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<v Speaker 2>The execution is more success you have.

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<v Speaker 1>What was it like having your lockers so close to

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<v Speaker 1>Blake Snell and Clayton Kershaw. Two really good pictures, but

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<v Speaker 1>two really different guys.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah you liked that corner, didn't You've asked?

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<v Speaker 1>I loved it you Snell and uh and Kershaw and

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<v Speaker 1>Snell's one hundred pair of sneakers and honey Boom boots.

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<v Speaker 1>That was a great corner.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it was. It was a good corner. But like

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<v Speaker 2>I said earlier that those two being some of the

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<v Speaker 2>guys that kind of helped me settle in I think

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<v Speaker 2>played a big role of just being able to see

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<v Speaker 2>the two different personalities in the two and obviously the

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<v Speaker 2>success that they both had at this level. So yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>it was a huge opportunity. And who knows, maybe you'll

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<v Speaker 2>get that same corner next year.

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, wherever you are is the corner I'm going to

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<v Speaker 1>be in. Rushing you don't forget that.

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<v Speaker 2>I hear you that, I hear.

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<v Speaker 1>About Velcrow dogs. I'm like a velcro reporter. Have you

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<v Speaker 1>have you had any withdrawals not being around me every day?

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, I mean, uh, has it been weird not

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<v Speaker 1>seeing me every days?

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<v Speaker 2>It's weird not pouring beer on your face anymore. We

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<v Speaker 2>had about a month's stretch of being able to do

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<v Speaker 2>that and that was that brought joy to me.

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<v Speaker 1>I can't wait to do it again. Yeah, you guys,

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<v Speaker 1>I mean even before Kyle Tuck. Kyle Tucker's along for

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<v Speaker 1>the ride. You guys are the core is back for

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<v Speaker 1>the three p and Kyle Tucker is along for the ride.

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<v Speaker 1>Don't forget it, man, all right, if you need me

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<v Speaker 1>in Arizona to help you get ready for spring training,

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<v Speaker 1>let me know. I'm always available.

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<v Speaker 2>We'll see if you got good bt that.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, sounds good. Hey, thanks a lot for doing this

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<v Speaker 1>and look forward to seeing you February thirteenth when pitchers

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<v Speaker 1>and catchers report. And make sure you put in a

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<v Speaker 1>good word with Kyle Tucker with me all right? For me?

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<v Speaker 2>Oh oh well, I'll make sure he knows you are

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<v Speaker 2>all right as I appreciate you.

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<v Speaker 1>I appreciate you. Dalton Rushing, thanks a lot for the time.