One does not expect a backup catcher to become beloved by a fanbase. One especially does not expect the backup’s backup to become beloved to a fanbase, in record time no less, and then displace the backup catcher in terms of depth on the playoff roster.

Dalton Rushing had pedigree. Ben Rortvedt had none and was seemingly destined to be the answer to the trivia question of who was the third-string catcher on the Dodgers.

Rortvedt’s defense and pitch calling have generally been major league-ready. Why Rortvedt has been predominantly a backup catcher is his bat. His best offensive year was in 2024 when he essentially became the Rays’ primary catcher, playing in 112 games.

Rortvedt started the year with the Rays as the Rays’ backup catcher for the first two months, playing in 26 games. He p

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