Dodgers Lose Two Players to Injuries at Two Vulnerable Positions

The Los Angeles Dodgers have had relatively few hiccups this season as they look to win a third consecutive World Series championship.

If another team doesn’t stand in their way, injuries might be their biggest obstacle. The Dodgers lost two players to injuries in the first three innings of their game against the Minnesota Twins on June 22: catcher Dalton Rushing and right fielder Kyle Tucker.

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Tucker was removed with low back spasms in the second inning after advancing from first to second base on a Tommy Edman single. Rushing was removed shortly thereafter to undergo concussion testing.

No injuries are welcome, but the Dodgers were already without one corner outfielder and catcher. Backstop Will Smith (neck) and outfielder Teoscar Hernandez (hamstring) are both on the injured list. Although both could be activated from the IL this month, the injuries to Tucker and Rushing struck arguably the Dodgers’ two most vulnerable positions.

Smith received a cortisone shot and, if he responds well, could join one of the Dodgers’ minor league affiliates to begin a rehab assignment soon. Hernandez was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on June 23.

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Tucker and Rushing aren’t necessarily bound for the injured list - yet. For a day at least, the Dodgers were forced to play their final six innings against the Twins with only two players (infielders Miguel Rojas and Kyle Freeland) on their bench.

Backup outfielder Alex Call pinch ran for Tucker. Backup catcher Chuckie Robinson - whose contract was purchased from Triple-A when Smith went down - took over for Rushing behind the plate in the third inning.

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For all their strengths, neither Call nor Robinson has the ability of the men they replaced. Rushing is hitting .252 with eight home runs and 22 RBIs in 46 games. Tucker, baseball’s highest-paid player this season at $60 million, is hitting .234 with six home runs and six stolen bases in 74 games.

The Dodgers’ farm system is loaded with possible outfielders if Tucker is placed on the injured list. If Rushing is diagnosed with a concussion, the Dodgers might need to look outside the organization for added help. They have no other catchers on their 40-man roster.

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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 6:45 PM.