The Dodgers are getting a key piece back behind the plate just as they open a three-game home set with the Cardinals on Tuesday night.
Before the series opener, Los Angeles announced a wave of roster changes headlined by the return of catcher Will Smith, along with catcher Dalton Rushing and left-hander Justin Wrobleski. The club also added infielder Alex Freeland to the active roster.
“The Dodgers have activated catchers Will Smith and Dalton Rushing and LHP Justin Wrobleski from the injured list, and added IF Alex Freeland to the active roster,” the team announced on X. “In order to make room on the roster, the Dodgers optioned OF Alek Thomas and designated catcher Ben Rortvedt for assignment.”
Smith’s return is the biggest development in the group. The 31-year-old backstop, a three-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion, has been limited to 52 games in 2026 because of an inflamed disc in his neck. He was out for nearly three months of the regular season.
Before the injury, Smith was batting .249/.338/.382 with six home runs and a .720 OPS.
The Dodgers had already added more catching depth at the trade deadline, bringing in Hunter Feduccia from the Tampa Bay Rays and Ben Rortvedt from the New York Mets. At that point, the club had also learned that Rushing had suffered a slight tear in the ulnar collateral ligament of his right elbow.
Now, with Smith and Rushing both back from the injured list, Rortvedt is the odd man out. He was designated for assignment after appearing in 16 games during his second stint with Los Angeles.
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