Dodgers Insider Predicts LA Will Trade for Ben Rortvedt to Help Dalton Rushing

The Los Angeles Dodgers are suddenly thin at the catcher position.

All-Star backstop Will Smith remains on the injured list without a clear timeline to return due to neck inflammation.

His backup, Dalton Rushing, has brought some unnecessary drama over the course of his first full season in the big leagues, but is continuing to hit at a decent clip.

Rushing's current backup, Chuckie Robinson, is filling in on occasion, but just collected his first two hits of the year after going 0-for-11 to open the season.

Behind Robinson, the Dodgers have no other catchers on the 40-man roster. The other catchers at Triple-A Oklahoma City are Eliezer Alfonzo and Griffin Lockwood-Powell, neither of whom have any MLB experience.

Because of that, Jack Harris of the California Post believes the Dodgers could go after one of their former champions and current member of the New York Mets in catcher Ben Rortvedt.

"With all due respect to Rushing, the last couple weeks have shown that the Dodgers could use more catching depth," Harris wrote. "And with all due respect to minor-league call-up Chuckie Robinson, someone else who can actually be trusted to play regularly wouldn’t be the worst thing as the team enters the second half of the season.

"Thus, who better to get than last year’s unexpected postseason savior, Ben Rortvedt –– who supplanted Rushing as the team’s go-to fill-in when Smith was hurt at the start of the postseason."

Rortvedt stepped up in a big way for the Dodgers in 2025 after both Smith and Rushing got hurt.

When Rushing was healthy, the team still trusted Rortvedt over him in the postseason, having the veteran start four playoff games while Smith was dealing with a hairline fracture in his right hand.

Rortvedt filled the role exceptionally well as Los Angeles did not lose a game with him behind the plate in October. In those four games, Rortvedt went 3-for-7 (.429) and did an incredible job working with the pitching staff.

Prior to the start of the 2026 season, Rortvedt was lost by the Dodgers, then later claimed off waivers by LA only to be DFA'd and lost again. In late March, he was designated for assignment by the Mets, cleared waivers and was sent to the team's Triple-A Syracuse Mets.

He's been with the Mets' minor league affiliate ever since.

Rortvedt first joined the Dodgers prior to the 2025 trade deadline as they landed him from the Tampa Rays along with Paul Gervase and Adam Serwinowski in a three-team trade.

While Rortvedt would once again serve as the backup catcher if the Dodgers were to make a move for him, he could prove to be a valuable addition.

His experience with the team and defensive ability would provide important depth behind the plate, particularly if the Dodgers face injuries or other setbacks at catcher during the season.

At the very least, he would give them a stabilizing presence behind the plate while Smith is out — something that Rushing hasn't been able to provide as of late.

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