For the third time in about one year, the Dodgers have acquired catcher Ben Rortvedt. This time the security blanket comes home courtesy of the New York Mets, per multiple reports, with pitcher Chayce McDermott headed to New York three days after getting designated for assignment.
Rortvedt is hitting .235/.319/.414 with eight doubles, six home runs, and an 86 wRC+ in 48 games for Triple-A Syracuse, a season that has been interrupted only by injured-list stints in April and June. Rortvedt isn’t on the 40-man roster, not since getting sent outright to the minors by the Mets in March.
With Smith out, the Dodgers first used Chuckie Robinson for six starts before getting sent outright to Oklahoma City, and since have deployed Eliezer Alfonzo as backup catcher for eight starts. Those two have a combined six hits in 47 at-bats (.128), and both have -1 Fielding Run Value in limited time behind the plate.
McDermott was designated for assignment on Friday to make 40-man roster room for Cole Irvin for a day. Acquired from the Baltimore Orioles in April, McDermott appeared in two games in the majors for the Dodgers, and allowed two runs on three hits in 2 1/3 innings, with one strikeout.
The 27-year-old right-hander had a 4.10 ERA in 27 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City, with 43 strikeouts and 20 walks in 26 1/3 innings.
