Dodgers' Dalton Rushing out indefinitely with slight UCL tear

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing has a slight tear in the UCL in his right elbow, putting his status behind the plate for the rest of the regular season up in the air.

Speaking after Tarik Skubal's debut for his team, a 5-1 loss to the Cubs in Chicago on Tuesday night, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Rushing won't throw for several weeks, with the hope being he will avoid surgery.

Rushing was placed on the injured list Monday with what the team called a mild right elbow strain. He stayed in Los Angeles while the team traveled to Chicago and follow-up testing revealed the slight tear.

The Dodgers acquired two catchers ahead of the trade deadline Monday -- Ben Rortvedt from the New York Mets and Hunter Feduccia from the Tampa Bay Rays. Rortvedt got the start against the Cubs on Tuesday night, going 0-for-2; Feduccia replaced him in the eighth inning.

Regular starter Will Smith remains out for the reigning World Series champions with an inflamed disk in his neck, last having played June 5. Roberts said over the weekend that Smith continues to progress but is expected to need 3-4 weeks of ramp up before he's able to come off the IL.

Rushing, 25, is hitting .253 with 12 home runs and 36 RBIs in 74 games this season. He last played Saturday against the Boston Red Sox.