The Reds announced that catcher Ben Rortvedt has been designated for assignment. That’s the corresponding move to open a 40-man spot for infielder Eugenio Suárez, whose signing is now official.
Rortvedt, 28, has never appeared in a game for the Reds. Cincinnati just claimed him off waivers from the Dodgers in November. At the time of that waiver claim, it was reported that Rortvedt and the Dodgers had already signed a deal for 2026 to avoid arbitration. The backstop will make $1.25MM this year.
The Dodgers were likely hoping that figure was high enough that no other club would claim him off waivers. Rortvedt is out of options and therefore can’t be sent to the minors while staying on the 40-man roster. Since he has at least three years of big league service time, Rortvedt has the right to reject outright assignments. But since his service clock is less than five years, he would have to forfeit his salary commitments in electing free agency. Had he cleared waivers, he likely would have stayed with the Dodgers as non-roster catching depth.
Instead, the Reds claimed him and have held him for the past few months. They might now be hoping that they get to keep Rortvedt as non-roster depth instead of the Dodgers. With this DFA, Cincinnati now has Jose Trevino and Tyler Stephenson as the only two catchers on the 40-man roster. Will Banfield is their most experienced non-roster guy at the moment, even though he has just seven big league games on his track record.
Rortvedt’s career has been up and down but he would be a solid depth option. He showed his potential by having a decent showing with the Rays in 2024. He stepped to the plate 328 times and put up a .228/.317/.303 line. That line led to an 87 wRC+, indicating he was 13% below league average. But since catchers are usually about ten points below the rest of the league, that’s not bad for a part-time backstop. Rortvedt’s glovework also got decent reviews, enough for FanGraphs to credit him with 1.4 wins above replacement for the year, even with that so-so offense.
Things backed up with Tampa last year. He hit .095/.186/.111 in his 70 plate appearances before getting outrighted off the roster. He was flipped to the Dodgers at the deadline as part of the three-team trade which saw the Reds gets Zack Littell. The Dodgers called him up in September when Will Smith was injured and Rortvedt bounced back somewhat, with a .224/.309/.327 line in a small sample of 58 plate appearances for the eventual World Series champs.
The Dodgers liked him enough that they seemingly hoped to keep him around as relatively expensive depth behind Smith and Dalton Rushing. The Reds will now have a maximum of one week of DFA limbo to work with. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so they could field trade interest but will likely place Rortvedt on waivers at some point in the next five days. If another team claims him, the Reds would likely need to add some veteran depth via minor league deals.
Photo courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images
I think he will be picked up and not get outrighted.
Can the Dodgers claim him back?
Hope so they actually need catching depth.
Was just wondering with the Reds signing Suarez I imagine he will play 3B, what will they do with Ke’Bryan Hayes now? Could there be a trade inquiry from the Red Sox for Hayes?
He is not playing 3rd over Ke’bryan. Suarez gonna get at bats at first and DH and maybe an occasional day at 3rd but I doubt it. Ke’Bryan most likely the best defensive 3rd baseman in the National League. I also don’t see them trading for Hayes and taking over his expensive contract just to sit on the bench. Also I don’t see him as much or an upgrade for the Red Sox, they probably stay in-house to address 3rd base.
The Reds have a couple of young up and coming corners infield guys who would be playing over Hayes first most likely but I don’t see that happening with what they are paying him, which is why this trade never made sense to me. One guy in Collier is a year away and Stewart is here now but played first when he came up. That is not even mentioning Steer and CES but I wonder if Steer plays LF now and Geno DH, allowing Stewart to just stay at first despite Steer being a gold glove finalist at first.
It will be interesting to see where all these infielders play going forward, especially the best defensive shortstop in the system in Arroyo.
I don’t really follow the reds that much but I don’t really see them singing Geno Suarez and then pivot by playing younger prospects even if they are up and coming. I don’t know Steers profile but he most likely getting at bats in left and maybe 2nd idk if he has that profile. The only way I can see Suarez playing 3rd is if they trade Hayes but that’s easier said than done. It would be a complete salary dump, I don’t think any other team would trade for him unless he starts producing more with the bat.
THE BEST DEFENSIVE THIRD BASEMAN IN THE NL IS
MATT CHAPMAN OF THE
S F GIANTS
Yeah that’s why I said most likely not most definitely. The two are at the top of the food chain when it comes to defensive 3rd basemen that’s for sure.
I LOVE LAMP!
Back to LA
I think it would be a good idea if the Dodgers picked him up. Trade Rushing or at least give him the majority of at-bats in the minors. He’s wasted as the back-up in the majors. And then Ben could be the primary back-up to Smith.
If nothing else, this signals that Stephenson will stay around at least this season.
I don’t see how a DFA of Ben Rortvedt effects any transactional move of Tyler Stephenson. Stephenson is the starting catcher of the team, and besides he’s a free agent starting next year.
The Reds extended Trevino instead, despite Stephenson being the starter. Knowing how they operate, I wouldn’t have put it past them to make an unadvised move out of desperation, like their ill advised trade for Lux last year, their signing of Candelario, overpaying for Benson, etc. Getting Geno to sign seemed to take more crazy trade ideas to add offense out of the equation.
that’s *World Champion* Ben Rortvedt to you.
How can we forget?! Of course!
Dodgers!!
Please don’t claim him. Salazar is better.