Distractions every MLB division leader must avoid: Dalton Rushing is in his villain era

The Los Angeles Dodgers were not in need of one more villain, another place for fans to focus all of the ire that dominating the league for years on end now is bound to generate. And yet, here comes Dalton Rushing, a backup catcher with all of 72 games of MLB experience who has nonetheless managed to become one of the most prominent antagonists in the sport this season — so much that he's become a lightning rod within his own fan base.

And he's far from alone. All across the league, would-be contenders are beginning to separate themselves. But itn's not enough to simply have talent; in a 162-game marathon, even the slightest hiccup can send things off course, and every division leader right now has at least one distraction they're trying desperately to avoid.

New York Yankees: The Anthony Volpe Experience

It's not his fault, really. All Volpe has done since being drafted in the first round back in 2019 is put his head down and play. He's not the one who heaped Derek Jeter comps on a prep prospect, and he's not the one who talked Hal Steinbrenner out of pursuing Corey Seager or any number of other shortstop options in free agency.

And yet, we are where we are. Volpe simply hasn't been good enough to this point in his MLB career, and while I fully believe that a shoulder injury (which the team bafflingly downplayed) sapped him of his defensive ability in 2025, we're going on three years running of his bat failing to show up. I still think Volpe has a chance to become an every-day player in the Majors, but he's run out of runway in New York, where every single play he does or doesn't make becomes a referendum not just on him but on the entire organization.

The Yankees have it rolling with Jose Caballero right now, and while their ideal lineup might be Volpe at short and Caballero as a roving utility man, keeping a lid on the discourse that follows the New Jersey native everywhere might be worth its weight in gold.

Cleveland Guardians: Can ownership ever actually commit?

For seemingly the zillionth year in a row, the Guardians are the Guardians: They're going to pitch, they're going to play defense, and they're not going to hit all that much (though the introduction of Chase DeLauter has offered some hope in that regard of late). After watching previous versions of this exact team flame out in October, you'd forgive Cleveland for having a hard time being overly optimistic — that is, unless this notoriously cheap ownership group decides to change the narrative.

The Dolans (no, not those Dolans, Knicks fans) have routinely run payrolls near the bottom of the league, and while the size of the market is certainly somewhat to blame, so is a lack of interest and intent. Once again, the Guards have a foundation in place to make a run, and once again, the AL Central is right there for the taking. Are they going to step up to the plate as an organization, or are they going to let the "same old Cleveland" narrative take root once again?

Athletics: Can ownership ever actually commit, and then some

Of course, if Guardians fans think they have it bad, they could always try rooting for the A's. A feisty, young Athletics team finds itself atop the surprisingly mediocre AL West at the moment, which could give us a fascinating test case if it holds by the trade deadline. Does John Fisher have any interest in fielding a winning team in his temporary home of Sacramento, or is he essentially hibernating until Las Vegas finally decides to give him the ballpark of his dreams?

Because make no mistake: Add another pitcher or two, and this A's team could do some real damage, with a deep lineup full of real difference-makers. The franchise hasn't been nationally relevant in years now, but that could change if they're still leading their division by the All-Star break. And the last time Fisher was in the spotlight, things didn't go so well.

Atlanta Braves: Riding the Michael Harris II roller coaster

Harris II has been a monster so far this season, one of the very biggest reasons why Atlanta is already running away with the NL East and looking like a legitimate World Series contender. Really, it's hard to find a distraction here, so strong are the vibes around this Braves team — Bryce Elder is helping pick up the slack for a beleaguered pitching staff, the lineup is hitting like it's 2023 again, heck, even new manager Walt Weiss is hitting the ground running.

But we also know that Harris II is one of the streakiest players in the sport. It's built into his baseball DNA: His approach at the plate is so aggressive, bordering on reckless, that he can work himself into nasty, prolonged slumps in which he starts swinging at literally everything. In fairness, he's made some incremental games in that department so far this season, and again, the numbers speak for themselves. Still, Braves fans know all too well how frustrating he can be, and it would be a shame if that reared its ugly head at the worst possible time.

Chicago Cubs: Craig Counsell's paycheck

It feels as though Cubs fans have spent Counsell's two-plus years at the helm just waiting for an excuse to bust out the torches and pitchforks. Which, in one sense, is fair enough: Chicago made him the highest-paid manager in the Majors to lure him away from a division rival in Milwaukee, and with a great paycheck comes great responsibility.

At this point, though, it feels as though the relationship to Counsell has taken on a life of its own. He's largely the same manager he was during his time with the Brewers, and he's pushed darn near all the right buttons so far this season, navigating a downright comical rash of pitching injuries to lead his team to the top of the competitive NL Central. Has that bought him enough good will to get Cubs fans off his back a bit? Or will this become a mess again as soon as the team hits another rough patch? Few fishbowls can be as all-consuming as Wrigley Field, after all; just ask last year's team.

Los Angeles Dodgers: What exactly is Dalton Rushing's deal?

Look, it's not as though the Dodgers need any help getting the rest of the league to want to take them down a notch; winning consecutive World Series titles while you spend billions hoovering up talent will do that just fine on its own. But while you could certainly nominate the Roki Sasaki situation here — will the team continue to insist on sticking him in the big-league rotation, even at full health? Even when all evidence suggests he's not an MLB-caliber starter right now? — it's not hard to imagine a day in October in which Rushing gets himself and his team into some seriously hot water.

To review: One of the team's top prospects for years, Rushing has burst onto the scene with his bat this year. But he also has a habit of saying some very weird, disrespectful stuff, like when he accused the Rockies — yes, those Rockies — of cheating or when he showed up an umpire or when he called Cubs counterpart Miguel Amaya a "fat f***". He seemingly does not much care what anybody else thinks of him, and while that's admirable to an extent, it makes him awfully tough to defend. L.A. might just have so much talent that it doesn't really matter; but you never want to give your opponent an edge, especially not come

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow