The Mets have added a new name to their catching mix, claiming Ben Rortvedt off waivers from the Dodgers on Sunday - marking yet another stop in what’s been a whirlwind offseason for the 26-year-old backstop.
For the Dodgers, the move was about roster flexibility. They needed to make space for reliever Evan Phillips, who just signed a one-year, $6.5 million deal, and Rortvedt was the odd man out. That opened the door for the Mets to scoop him up, and now he heads to Queens with a legitimate shot at sticking on the big-league roster.
Rortvedt’s journey this winter has been anything but dull. After the Dodgers initially removed him from their 40-man roster earlier in the offseason, he was picked up by the Reds.
But his time in Cincinnati was short-lived - the Reds designated him for assignment after signing veteran third baseman Eugenio Suárez. The Dodgers then reclaimed him, parting ways with lefty reliever Anthony Banda in the process.
Banda, for what it’s worth, later landed with the Twins.
This isn’t Rortvedt’s first go-round with the Dodgers, either. He originally joined L.A. at the 2025 trade deadline in a three-team deal with the Tampa Bay Rays.
He started off in Triple-A but was quickly called into action when both Will Smith and Dalton Rushing hit the injured list in September. That thrust Rortvedt into the starting role down the stretch - and he didn’t look out of place.
In 18 regular-season games, he posted a .636 OPS, chipped in a home run, and drove in four runs. But it was in the postseason where he made a bigger impression, logging a 1.071 OPS in four appearances.
Small sample size? Sure.
But for a catcher thrust into the spotlight late in the year, it was an encouraging sign.
Now, he heads to a Mets team that might just have room for him. Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens are the top options behind the plate in New York, but neither has a lock on the job.
Alvarez, while promising, is still developing, and Torrens has bounced around enough to know nothing is guaranteed. That opens the door for Rortvedt to compete for a spot - and possibly more.
Offensively, Rortvedt isn’t going to light up the scoreboard like Will Smith, but he’s shown flashes of pop and has postseason experience under his belt. Defensively, it’s harder to get a full read given his limited run at the big-league level, but he’s known for being steady behind the plate and working well with pitchers - traits that could earn him some trust from the Mets’ staff.
As for the Dodgers, they’re still set behind the plate. Will Smith remains their clear No. 1, and Dalton Rushing is primed to back him up. Rortvedt’s exit doesn’t change much in L.A., but it could be a new beginning in New York - a fresh opportunity for a catcher who’s been on the move but might just find the right fit in Queens.