LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers on Tuesday activated catcher Will Smith off the 60-day injured list, ending his three-month stint with neck inflammation. They also activated catcher Dalton Rushing and pitcher Justin Wrobleski from the injured list, and called up infielder Alex Freeland on the first day active roster limits expand from 26 players and 13 pitchers to 28 players and 14 pitchers.
Ben Rortvedt was designated for assignment to make room for Smith on both the 40-man and active rosters. Alek Thomas
was optioned to Triple-A, which likely means a lot more center field for Tommy Edman with Andy Pages still out with the broken left hand.
In five rehab games last week with Triple-A Oklahoma City, Smith had four hits in 16 at-bats, including a home run and two doubles, hitting .250/.250/.563. He caught 25 innings behind the plate in four games, and served as designated hitter in another game.
Smith last played for the Dodgers on June 5. In the last 73 games, Los Angeles catchers combined to hit .219/.283/.347 with a 74 wRC+ in 270 plate appearances, and a -0.1 FanGraphs WAR, ranking 25th among 30 MLB teams in wRC+ and 26th in fWAR.
Rortvedt was acquired from the Mets just before the August 3 trade deadline, and started nine of the last 24 games, filling in behind the plate alongside fellow trade re-acquisition Hunter Feduccia for four weeks. Rortvedt had five singles in 27 at-bats with the Dodgers, hitting .185/.185/.185.
He’s out of options, which brings us back to a familiar dance between the Dodgers and Rortvedt. Last November, the Dodgers tried to sneak him through waivers but he was claimed by the Reds, then claimed back by the Dodgers in February, only to be lost again on waivers to the Mets nine days later.
One would imagine Rortvedt if he clears waivers this time would stick around, as the Dodgers are the only team for whom he could play in the postseason for this year, as he was in their organization by September 1.
Rushing is back as an extra left-handed bat at the very least, but it will be interesting to see whether he’s limited to pinch-hitting duties only while he works his way back from a partially torn UCL.
Wrobleski made one rehab appearance with Oklahoma City on Saturday, getting four outs in a planned relief appearance. He allowed one run on three hits with two strikeouts, and threw 34 pitches. He was sidelined for two-plus weeks with left forearm inflammation, having last pitched for the Dodgers on August 15.
Freeland made the opening day roster and played the first five weeks of the season in the majors, then another two months from late May until he was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on July 28.
He’s still the team leader on the season with 66 starts and 500 innings at second base, where Freeland posted five Defensive Runs Saved and three Outs Above Average, providing stability on defense.
A shortstop by trade, Freeland this season in Triple-A started 18 games at third, nine games each at shortstop and second base, plus twice as designated hitter.
Freeland in the majors this year hit .231/309/.313 with a 77 wRC+, but did much better as a left-handed batter, hitting .248/.330/.339 with a 90 wRC+, compared to only four hits in 30 at-bats, including a double and two walks batting right-handed.
With Oklahoma City, Freeland this year hit .259/.357/.430 with a 102 wRC+, and in 27 games since last getting optioned hit .257/.362/.358 with a 92 wRC+.
