Joe Maddon, Shohei Ohtani's former manager, believes the recent on-field exchange between Ohtani and Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing was "a bad look" but ultimately overblown, suggesting a private conversation could resolve any lingering issues.
The tension between Ohtani and Rushing became public during the Dodgers' 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday. In the second inning, Rushing appeared to wave off Ohtani from challenging pitches that were subsequently ruled balls. The situation escalated when the two exchanged words on the pitcher's mound, with Ohtani visibly upset.
"The solution to this is [to put] Shohei, Dalton in a room. Pitching coach, manager, sit there, and let’s talk through this. That’s it," Maddon said during an interview on "Foul Territory." "It doesn’t have to be any more complicated than that."
Maddon, who managed Ohtani with the Los Angeles Angels, recalled a similar situation where he advised Ohtani to trust his instincts. He recounted asking Ohtani to walk Matt Olson during a game against the Athletics, only for Ohtani to wave off the request. Post-game analysis revealed Ohtani had a strong record against Olson, striking him out 10 out of 14 times.
"Shohei knows what he’s doing," Maddon stated. "It makes the catcher’s job easier, just follow him. I would get them in a room and talk about it very matter-of-factly."
Maddon suggested that social media often amplifies such incidents, comparing the Ohtani-Rushing situation to other on-field player interactions that have gained attention. He emphasized that Ohtani is adept at managing game situations and that these minor conflicts are often magnified.
"Shohei needs to be in charge of the situation; he’s very good at it," Maddon added. "... A lot of these things are just a product of social media."