LOS ANGELES, CA—The Dodgers have asked a lot out of backup catcher Ben Rortvedt recently, and manager Dave Roberts made sure to give him credit for the job he’s done in a time of need.
Rortvedt has caught three games for the Dodgers where a pitcher has taken a no-hitter into the sixth inning or later. While some may call it coincidence, Roberts pointed out there’s more to it than luck.
“It’s a baseball thing a little bit, but also I give him a lot of credit,” Roberts said. “Not knowing these pitchers, having not caught them before, he just has that servant mentality. He catches the ball well, he’s there wholeheartedly for them. There’s an optics kind of you’re-in-it-with-me type thing that he has. That backup catcher mentality, he understands his role, and he fights for his guy.”
Rortvedt’s work behind the plate has stood out during a stretch where the Dodgers needed stability with Will Smith was a sidelined a few games and Dalton Rushing on the injured list. His ability to step in, earn pitchers’ trust, and guide them through games has been exactly what the club needed.
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