Catcher Ben Rortvedt traded to Dodgers

[Cowtipper]

The Mets traded catcher Ben Rortvedt to the Dodgers for right-hander Chayce McDermott.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/08/mets-trade-ben-rortvedt-dodgers-chayce-mcdermott.html 

[Benjamin Grimm]

Wow, as if getting Tarik Skubal wasn't enough, now the Dodgers have Ben Rortvedt!

[Edgy MD]

It's just not fair.

But Chayce is an experienced, big league dude!

The Mets did this a couple years ago with Texas — trading a largely forgotten catcher stashed at AAA, that a contending team wanted as emergency insurance and getting value where few knew value could be had.  That one took place after the trade deadline, iffin I correctly recall.

A little googling suggests the guy I'm thinking of is Nevin Ashley.

[Frayed Knot]

I'm thinking this signals that the Will Smith injury isn't healing itself anytime soon. Dalton Rushing has done a great job in Smith's stead but now, just like the Stillwater band's manager needed a manager, the backup C needs a backup C.

[Edgy MD]

Un-noted in this deal is that the Mets claimed catcher Shawn Ross off waivers from the Pirates yesterday, taking him out of the picture as a potential Dodger backup, and pre-replacing Rortvedt.

Rortvedt himself had previously been claimed off waivers from the Dodgers back in February, so he's probably the guy the Dodgers wanted, as he and the staff know each other and stuff, but cornering the market on waiver wire catchers is strategery!