The Dodgers placed Rortvedt, who had only rejoined the team a few days earlier, on waivers to make room for right-handed reliever Evan Phillips, whom they signed to a one-year, $6.5 million contract.
Rortvedt has moved around a lot this offseason, first going to the Cincinnati Reds after the Dodgers left him off the 40-man roster at the start of the offseason. The Reds designated him for assignment after signing star third baseman Eugenio Suárez, and the Dodgers claimed him by designating Anthony Banda for assignment.Advertisement
Banda later joined the Minnesota Twins.
September 17, 2025; Los Angeles, California, United States; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Ben Rortvedt (47) hits an RBI single against the Philadelphia Phillies in the second inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
When did Ben Rortvedt first join the Dodgers?
The Dodgers first acquired Rortvedt at the trade deadline in 2025, receiving him from the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-team deal.
Rortvedt went straight to Triple-A, but quickly found his way to the majors.
Will Smith and Dalton Rushing, Los Angeles’ first- and second-choice catchers, went on the disabled list within a week of each other in September, leaving Rortvedt as the Dodgers’ starter.
He played 18 games with the Dodgers to close the season and even remained with the team until the postseason, making four appearances.
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The catcher had a .636 OPS in the regular season and posted a 1.071 OPS in the playoffs. He hit just one home run and scored four RBIs in the regular season.
Do the Mets need Ben Rortvedt?
Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens are the Mets’ current options at catcher, and Rortvedt has a real chance to make the team in Queens.
Neither Torrens nor Alvarez have as much offensive ability as Smith, giving Rortvedt a much easier path to the MLB.
While his defensive value is harder to compare due to his limited sample size in the majors, he will certainly bring a championship mentality and plenty of experience to the Mets if they retain him for the remainder of the offseason.
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The situation hasn’t changed for the Dodgers despite Rortvedt’s departure, as they most likely still have Smith as their starting catcher and Rushing as their backup.
Did you want to stay with Ben Rortvedt?