In the bottom of the second in the Dodgers’ Wednesday game against the Pirates, Will Smith took a foul ball off the back of his throwing hand. He finished out the inning but was attended to by a trainer in between innings, and was replaced in the lineup and behind the plate by Dalton Rushing in the top of the third.
Dodgers fans couldn’t help but feel some exasperation on top of concern — the Dodgers are just starting to get their injured players back, and Smith has been one of LA’s most consistent hitters in a season that could get MVP consideration by the end of this year. Dave Roberts summed it up simply: “We can’t afford to lose him.”
Luckily, Smith’s X-rays came back negative and the injury was chalked up to a contusion, but Roberts noted that the Dodgers may have another catcher with them on taxi to close out the series.
The Dodgers’ usual backup-backup catcher Hunter Feduccia was traded to the Rays at the deadline as part of that weird three-way trade between the Dodgers, Rays, and Reds. The Reds got reliever Zack Littell from the Rays, the Rays got Feduccia and Reds reliever Brian Van Belle, and the Dodgers got pitchers Paul Gervase and Adam Serwinowski, along with catcher Ben Rortvedt.
No one would blame you if you forgot that trade ever happened, but we could be on the lookout for one of those ominous “Ben Rortvedt has a locker in the Dodgers’ clubhouse” tweets ahead of the Dodgers-Pirates finale.
UPDATE: And, it happened.
Ben Rortvedt is here on taxi as the Dodgers evaluate Will Smith’s status. Dalton Rushing is starting behind the plate today as expected.
https://twitter.com/FabianArdaya/status/1963698548245205165?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Forgotten Dodgers trade deadline acquisition Ben Rortvedt could join team on taxi after Will Smith scare
Triple-A Oklahoma City does have two more catchers — Chuckie Robinson and Chris Okey (though Okey is on the Development List and probably won’t factor in — but Rortvedt was a pretty clear replacement for Feduccia as the organization’s No. 3, break-in-case-of-emergency catcher.
He has four major league seasons under his belt but none of them were particularly exceptional, and he’s batting .228 with a .667 OPS through 17 games in Oklahoma City.
Even if it’s just a precaution, it’ll be hard not to panic a little if that “Ben Rortvedt has been activated” tweet eventually hits. Like Roberts said, the Dodgers cannot afford to lose Smith, who’s flirting with a .300/.400/.500 season, especially not when they’re in the throes of some serious on-field woes that now include a series loss to one of the worst teams in baseball.
