Ben Rortvedt, the Dodgers’ intermittent catcher who’s been a reliable fill-in during tough injury stretches, officially elected free agency on Saturday, opting out after getting sent outright to the minors and off the 40-man roster last month. This move puts him back on the open market and leaves a definite gap in the Dodgers’ immediate depth plans.
The Dodgers’ Go-To Guy In A Pinch
For two straight seasons, Rortvedt has been the guy the Dodgers called on when their main catchers hit the injured list. They snagged him at the trade deadline both times, even though he wasn’t on the 40-man roster. He stepped up big when both Will Smith and Dalton Rushing were sidelined, proving to be an absolute lifesaver. Remember 2025? He started four postseason games behind the plate after Smith broke his hand. This year wasn’t much different. Rortvedt and Hunter Feduccia took over catching duties in August, once again because Smith and Rushing were injured. During his time on the active roster this season, Rortvedt caught 16 games, started nine, and managed five hits in 27 at-bats.
A Farewell From Roberts, A CBA Clause Exit
His latest stint with the Dodgers wrapped up pretty quickly once Smith returned. He was designated for assignment on September 1, then sent outright to Triple-A Oklahoma City two days later. Rortvedt stayed with the team for workouts and through their postseason run, but he wasn’t active for either the National League Division Series or the NL Championship Series. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had nothing but praise for the catcher when he was designated, saying, “Ben’s a great teammate, he’s a major league player… And I’ll always be grateful because he helped us win a championship last year. Great guy.” Rortvedt was active with the Dodgers for about four weeks this year, finishing the season just nine days shy of four full years of major league service time. He was able to elect free agency thanks to Article XX(D)(1) of the collective bargaining agreement, which allows players with at least three years of service who are sent outright to the minors during the season to hit the open market. Saturday marked the deadline for this election, coming two days after the Dodgers played their last postseason game.
So, with Rortvedt now officially on the open market, the Dodgers will need to figure out their catcher depth moving forward. He was a trusted, if temporary, solution for two straight seasons, and Roberts’ words really drive home what he meant to that clubhouse. For a guy who was always ready to step up, it is a tough way for his time to end, but that’s baseball sometimes.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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