Intermittent Dodgers catcher Ben Rortvedt is a free agent again, opting for free agency on Saturday after getting sent outright to the minors and off the 40-man roster in September
.Rortvedt was acquired by the Dodgers while off the 40-man roster at each of the last two trade deadlines, and filled in while both Will Smith and Dalton Rushing were injured in both seasons. Rortvedt even started four postseason games behind the plate in 2025 before Smith was fully ready to return from a broken hand.
This year, Rortvedt and Hunter Feduccia took over catching duties in August after getting acquired at the trade deadline, holding down the fort with Smith and Rushing injured again. Rortvedt caught 16 games and started nine games behind the plate, and five hits in 27 at-bats during his time on the active roster. He was designated for assignment when Smith returned on September 1, then sent outright to Triple-A Oklahoma City two days later.
Rortvedt was with the Dodgers during workouts and through their postseason run, but was not active for either the National League Division Series or NL Championship Series.
“Ben’s a great teammate, he’s a major league player,” manager Dave Roberts said when Rortvedt was designated for assignment. “And I’ll always be grateful because he helped us win a championship last year. Great guy.”
Rortvedt was active with the Dodgers for four weeks, and ended the season nine days shy of four full years of major league service time. But as someone with at least three years of major league service time who was sent outright to the minors during the season and optioned to stick around, they can elect free agency at the end of the season, per Article XX(D)(1) of the collective bargaining agreement:
Any Player who has at least 3 years of Major League service, or who qualified as a “Super Two” Player under Article VI(E)(1)(b) as of the conclusion of the prior championship season, and whose contract is assigned outright to a Minor League club may elect, in lieu of accepting such assignment, to become a free agent. In the event that such a Player with at least 3 years of Major League service does not elect free agency in lieu of accepting such assignment, he may elect free agency during the period between (i) the end of the then current Major League season and (ii) the next following October 15, or 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time on the second day after the date the Player’s Club plays in its final post-season game that season (whichever occurs later) (the “Election Period”), unless such Player is returned to a Major League roster prior to making such election.
Saturday was the second day after the Dodgers played their last postseason game. Another player who elected free agency at the beginning of that period was outfielder Alek Thomas, who opted for free agency on September 29.
Thomas was designated for assignment on September 5, was sent outright to Triple-A three days later, and finished out the season with Oklahoma City, and hit the game-winning three-run double in the Triple-A championship game on September 26.
Acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks for minor league outfielder Jose Requena on May 12, Thomas spent most of his season in Triple-A, but was called up to man center field on August 22 after Andy Pages had his left hand broken by an errant fastball.
Thomas played in seven games for the Dodgers, including six starts in center field. He delivered run-scoring singles in each of his first three games, and totaled four hits in 19 at-bats plus a walk with the Dodgers. Thomas has somewhere in the neighborhood of three years, 156 days of major league service time, 16 days shy of four full years, but with at least three years he had the right to elect free agency after getting sent outright, off the 40-man roster, to the minors during the season.
