Ben Rortvedt only had about 10 minutes’ notice that he was starting in yesterday’s game after Will Smith’s late scratch, but he wasn’t bothered at all. He just showered, stretched, got some intel from Smith, and was ready to go, he told reporters after the game.

That’s exactly the attitude that has been making waves, at least for manager Dave Roberts. “He’s a backup catcher that’s there for his pitchers, and he’s done a great job of receiving, learning these pitchers and trying to understand what they’re good at, to go through sequencing, targeting, and so it’s nice,” Roberts said after Tuesday’s game.

Rortvedt has been behind the plate for not one but two almost-no-hitters in his first few starts, a testament to that ability to support pitchers and call an effective game.

With Smith st

See Full Page