The Reds have a familiar fallback option on the catching market, and it comes with a clear catch: Ben Rortvedt can help, but he’s not the answer if Cincinnati is looking for a real Tyler Stephenson replacement.
Rortvedt elected free agency after his run with the Los Angeles Dodgers ended when he was designated for assignment back in September. Cincinnati knows him well. He spent practically all of last offseason in the Reds’ orbit before winding up back with the Dodgers just before spring training, after the Reds opened a roster spot for Eugenio Suárez.
That familiarity matters because the Reds seem to value what he brings behind the plate. Rortvedt is a defense-first catcher who can steady a pitching staff, and that’s the part of his game that makes him appealing.
The issue is everything else. He can’t replace Stephenson’s bat, and in limited MLB action with the Dodgers this year, he put up a .370 OPS.
That’s below his career .541 mark, though not by much, because offense has never been his selling point. He has struck out and whiffed too often to be trusted as a meaningful hitter.
There’s also the roster fit to think about. Bringing Rortvedt in would be a commitment to defense, and it could even push Jose Trevino into a starting role. But if the Reds are thinking more conservatively, Rortvedt makes a lot of sense as a backup layer rather than the guy expected to handle the position every day.
That’s where the idea starts to look strongest: as a third catcher in Triple-A. Rortvedt posted an 82 wRC+ there this year, and at that level he could keep helping the pitching staff with his receiving work without being asked to carry an offense. For a club looking for short-term stability while waiting on top prospect Alfredo Duno, that’s a useful piece.
But the bigger problem doesn’t go away. If Cincinnati is only adding Rortvedt, the club still doesn’t really have a starter at catcher. If rushing Duno isn’t on the table, the front office would still need to sign or trade for another backstop, or else give Rortvedt the biggest role he’s had since he was the Tampa Bay Rays’ primary catcher in 2024.
As a low-cost move, a return to Cincinnati makes plenty of sense. There’s not much downside in bringing him back. But if he’s the only catcher the Reds add this offseason, then something has gone off track.
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