Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing hasn’t played in a game since August 1 because of a “slightly torn UCL” in his right throwing arm.

There’s currently no timeline on Rushing’s return, as it will depend on whether the 25-year-old backstop will need to get surgery to fix the elbow tear.

If Rushing does need surgery, it will mean his 2026 season is over. But he doesn’t believe that will be necessary, which he made very clear on Monday.

“I don’t have to go lay on a table and get my arm cut open. That’s a good thing. That’s where we’re at right now,” Rushing said on Monday night, per The Athletic.

He added that doctors are, “not worried about anything structurally right now,” which is a big reason why he’s optimistic about not needing surgery.

Any degree of torn UCL in their throwing arms almost certainly means surgery and a nine to 12-month recovery for a pitcher. But because position players aren’t so dependent on throwing (especially when it comes to velocity), they can sometimes play through the injury, or at least delay when they need to get surgery and return to the field.

Los Angeles could use Rushing back in their lineup as soon as possible, given that their starting catcher, Will Smith, has been on the 60-day injured list since June with an inflamed disc in his neck. But it seems that Smith close be nearing a return in the relatively near future.

The Dodgers have lose eight of their past 10 games but still hold a commanding 7.5 game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West.