Dodgers bring back 2025 World Series champion catcher to strengthen roster

The Los Angeles Dodgers are bringing back a familiar face from their 2025 World Series championship team. Three months after losing him on waivers, the team has re-acquired catcher Ben Rortvedt, who played a supporting role in last year’s championship run.

Rortvedt, 28, was claimed off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds on Friday, just days after being designated for assignment. The move fills a gap on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster behind starting catcher Will Smith, who caught every inning of the 2025 postseason.

The catcher’s return comes after a brief stint with the Reds following the Dodgers’ earlier waiver loss in November. Rortvedt served as the backup to Smith throughout the 2025 playoffs, helping Los Angeles win a seven-game World Series over the Toronto Blue Jays.

In limited postseason action, he went 3-for-6 with an RBI in the NL Wild Card series and appeared in 11 innings during the NL Division Series. Despite his modest career numbers—a .190/.279/.270 slash line with nine home runs and 52 RBIs over 227 regular-season games—Rortvedt’s experience with championship baseball gives him value as a reliable backup.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 and Ben Rortvedt #47 of the Dodgers meet on the mound. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Implications for the Dodgers’ catching depth

Before re-acquiring Rortvedt, the Dodgers only had Smith and Dalton Rushing on the 40-man roster at catcher. Minor league veteran Eliezer Alfonzo, a non-roster invitee, will now face a tougher path to make the major league team in case of injury.

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With the postseason-tested catcher back, Los Angeles strengthens its depth behind the plate while keeping a key part of its 2025 championship culture in the clubhouse.