Dodgers' Dalton Rushing gets mad after strikeout on missed time-out call

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Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Dalton Rushing was dumbfounded after home-plate umpire declared him struck out despite calling for a timeout.

The incident happened in the fifth inning with Rushing stepping to the plate for the final out against Miami Marlins ace Janson Junk. Rushing was clearly asking for a timeout before the third pitch on 0-2 count. However, home-plate umpire Clint Vondrak did not acknowledge the request. As the pitch clock expired, Rushing was automatically declared a strikeout.

Rushing was visibly stunned as he remained hitless on three plate appearances. It was no fault of Rushing's, though. For confirmation, the Dodgers star took the iPad to see if he was right. As soon as he saw the footage, he got mad.

Dalton Rushing struck out on a pitch clock violation to end the fifth inning, and is clearly steamed. Appeared that home-plate umpire Clint Vondrak didn't see/hear him call time out. Rushing looked at the iPad, which confirmed what he thought, then got understandably mad again.

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) April 29, 2026

It was a bizarre incident as that meant that the Dodgers failed to put a single run on the board at the end of the fifth inning. The Marlins are leading the game 2-0.

More: Dalton Rushing, the Dodgers and a 1.761 OPS problem with DH Shohei Ohtani, catcher Will Smith

Dalton Rushing was asked to lead-off as DH in Shohei Ohtani's absence

With Shohei Ohtani on the mound, the Dodgers are leaning on the strategy to not let the three-time MVP on his start days. As a result, somebody had to take that DH role. Manager Dave Roberts gave it to Dalton Rushing and he was also asked to lead off the Dodgers' offense on Tuesday.

The decision to put Rushing at the top of the order wasn't random. The first baseman is batting .385 this season with seven home runs and 16 RBIs in 39 plate appearances so far.