It has been an unprecedented year for the Los Angeles Dodgers, but that word is an understatement when describing Ben Rortvedt’s rise to becoming a staple for the defending champions as they near a back-to-back title.
As the final month of the regular season approached, All-Star backstop Will Smith was behind the dish making a case for the National League batting title, and emerging rookie catcher Dalton Rushing was working to bring his offensive talents from Triple-A to the majors.
Rortvedt was acquired as part of a trade deadline deal centered around a few prospects from the Tampa Bay Rays, and was stashed away to be the backup catcher in Triple-A. After Smith suffered a hairline fracture on his hand in early September and Rushing suffered a deep bone bruise, both eventually landed on the IL and Rortvedt emerged as the starting catcher for the final stretch of 2025.
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“How it all transpired was nuts,” Rortvedt said via the New York Post’s Greg Joyce . “It really happened extremely fast. I just tried to do my best and stay as present as possible and it ended up working well. You don’t learn as much when you’re not in the fire. I was kind of thrown right into it. It was a lot in a short amount of time, but it was really cool, and I’m grateful.”
He proved to be an incredible option for LA, not just filling in when needed, but showed strengths with his above average framing ability, plate discipline, and was more than capable on offense.
Rortvedt credits a lot of his talent that may not show up on the box score to his time with the New York Yankees in 2023. He essentially became superstar Gerrit Cole’s personal catcher during the back half of his Cy Young award campaign that season.
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“He made me so much better of a catcher, game caller, game planner and how to go about navigating a lineup, how to go about navigating pitching into a ballgame or preparing,” Rortvedt said. “I came over here and had an understanding of how to respect older guys or how they might want to pitch or what to kind of expect out of people. It was really cool. He made me so much better that I’m really grateful.”
There is no shortage of greatness in LA, specifically with a pitching roster that features All-Stars, Cy Young award winners, and even an MVP, Rortvedt not only fit right in, but thrived when it was his moment.
Rortvedt is now three wins away from a World Series win, and although Smith is back to what appears to be full health, manager Dave Roberts noted that Rortvedt is a key reason for the defending champions being so close to a repeat title.
“Ben has been an unsung hero,” Roberts said after the Wild Card series. “Just coming in here trying to replace an All-Star catcher, he has the trust in the pitchers. He’s a servant first. He receives well. He throws well. He just understands who he is as a hitter. … He’s been fantastic.”
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