myself, personally.

“I just think that for us right now, with what Dalton Rushing is doing on the performance side, it’s an opportunity to challenge him, expand his growth, give him an opportunity to log some major league games and essentially give him some runway.”

Rated the No. 1 prospect in the organization by mlb.com and Baseball America, Rushing was batting .308 with a .938 OPS in 31 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City this season, his fourth playing in the organization after he was a second-round draft pick in 2022. The 24-year-old had five home runs with 17 RBIs.

Last season, Rushing was named the 2024 Branch Rickey Minor League Player of the Year by the Dodgers after he hit 26 homers and drove in 85 runs between Double-A and Triple-A.

“You look at who I’m surrounded by, and it’s some of the best baseball players to learn from,” Rushing said from the dugout bench Wednesday. “And me personally, I think I can take in information very well, so I think it’s going to be very beneficial, regardless of how much playing time. That’s up to me, to show up, play, help the team win.”

Barnes, 35, was batting .233 with three RBIs in 13 games. He started at catcher 12 times this season after starting there a career-low 42 times in 2024, not counting the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

A key component of the Dodgers’ 2017 World Series run, when he batted .289 with eight home runs and 38 RBIs in 102 games, Barnes departs with two World Series rings. He will continue to be paid the remainder of the $3.5 million option that was picked up by the Dodgers shortly after the World Series ended.

Asked to put his career into perspective this spring, the Riverside native preferred to stay in the present.

“You know, I don’t really like to look too far ahead or too far behind,” Barnes said. “I think there will be a time for that. I’ve been very lucky to be on really good teams, playing in some important games. I couldn’t ask for a better thing than to play for the Dodgers.”

FEELING THE PINCH

Right-hander Roki Sasaki, who went on the injured list on Tuesday with a shoulder impingement, said the injury is similar to one he experienced last season in Japan but not as serious. He ended up returning to pitch before the season ended.

“The last two outings especially I wasn’t quite happy with the overall performance,” Sasaki said through an interpreter, while admitting that his discomfort started with a May 3 outing against the Atlanta Braves and continued Friday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

“Just looking at the team and where the team situation was, I wanted to really help the team in any way, shape or form. So with that being said, the last two outings haven’t been up to par to where I want it to be.”

The 23-year-old Sasaki, who was highly coveted in the offseason, has posted a 4.72 ERA in his first eight major-league starts, with almost as many walks (22) as strikeouts (24) in 34 1/3 innings.

Sasaki’s fastball routinely reached triple digits in Japan, but he hasn’t hit that speed since his season-opening start in Tokyo nearly two months ago. Since then, Sasaki’s fastball has averaged 95.7 mph. In three of his starts, including the past two, it has been in the 94 mph range, though Roberts said he believes Sasaki’s current velocity drop is a product of mechanical adjustments he’s still working through.

Sasaki was scheduled to make his next start Thursday against the Athletics, with Roberts saying it will be a bullpen game instead.

COMING FAST

Emmet Sheehan underwent Tommy John surgery a year ago Thursday, and already he has been impressive in his recovery. Sheehan threw live patting practice to both Tommy Edman and Teoscar Hernandez on Wednesday.

“Everything I’ve heard, the delivery, the health, has been fantastic, and he’s going to be a little sneaky pick to click sometime later this summer,” Roberts said. “So I don’t have the timeline, but this guy’s put in a lot of work and has that type of velocity and command. It’s going to be very helpful at some point.”

Sheehan, 25, made 13 appearances (11 starts) in his rookie season of 2023 and went 4-1 with a 4.92 ERA, including 64 strikeouts in 60 1/3 innings.

ALMOST THERE

Roberts said that both Edman (ankle) and Hernandez (groin) could be back from the injured list by the weekend series against the Angels. Edman’s swing has looked game-ready, according to Roberts, while Hernandez might need as many as two games on a minor-league rehab assignment.

There is no timetable for the return of left-hander Blake Snell (shoulder), but he did begin a throwing program Wednesday while playing catch from 60 feet.

“It’s very encouraging,” Roberts said.