The White Sox and Dodgers both went hunting for catching help at the trade deadline, but they didn’t come back with the same kind of bet.
Chicago took a swing on Joey Bart, a former second-overall pick who has started to show more offense over the last three seasons. Los Angeles, meanwhile, added Hunter Feduccia and Ben Rortvedt, two catchers who already know the Dodgers’ system and pitching staff.
On paper, the White Sox went for upside. The Dodgers went for familiarity.
That’s why Chicago’s move feels like the better gamble.
The catching market didn’t break cleanly for anyone. The Red Sox and Rays made the biggest moves at the position, landing Adley Rutschman and Liam Hicks, respectively.
A few of the better rental names - Tyler Stephenson, Ryan Jeffers, and Jonah Heim - stayed put. That left clubs like the Yankees, Dodgers, and White Sox scrambling to patch holes of their own.
New York passed. Chicago and Los Angeles settled for smaller upgrades.
Bart gives the White Sox something they’ve badly lacked behind the plate: a player with real offensive upside. Outside of Kyle Teel’s contributions, the position has been a black hole for Chicago, and Teel is out at least another month while recovering from an ankle sprain.
Bart won’t be a defensive difference-maker, but he should be serviceable enough, and the bat is the selling point. The White Sox have leaned into bat speed this season, and Bart fits that profile.
He’s averaging 75.5 MPH on his swings, second only to Colson Montgomery on the roster. At his size and strength, there’s still room for more power to show up.
He looks like a surer offensive bet than Edgar Quero and Drew Romo.
Joey Bart hits a go-ahead homer in his return to Pittsburgh! pic.twitter.com/kzHvPSnD5a
- MLB (@MLB) July 9, 2026
The Dodgers took a very different route. Fedducia and Rortvedt have both been in the organization before, so there’s comfort there, and that matters when a team needs a quick fix.
But neither catcher has a track record that jumps off the page offensively or defensively, which makes the appeal pretty narrow. The only real edge is that they know the Dodgers’ process and staff.
That matters even more because the situation in Los Angeles is temporary. Will Smith and Dalton Rushing are both on the injured list, but both are expected back this season.
So the Dodgers weren’t shopping for a long-term answer. They were looking for stopgaps, and they found two.
Chicago is in a similar spot. The White Sox are in first place in their division and trying to get to the postseason, just like the Dodgers.
Both clubs needed short-term help and both expect their regular backstops back soon. The difference is in the quality of the bet.
Chicago found a cheaper move with more offensive ceiling. Los Angeles chose the safer, more familiar names.
For now, the White Sox look like they made the smarter call. Only time will tell whether that gamble pays off.
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