The Los Angeles Dodgers have activated rookie catcher Dalton Rushing from the injured list.
In a corresponding move, they have optioned catcher Chuckie Robinson.
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Amid the lack of depth lately with the catchers, this move provides plenty of relief.
Three days after All-Star backstop Will Smith took a foul ball to his hand, Rushing fouled a ball off his shin and landed on the injured list. Smith made one start since initially injuring his hand, but eventualy landed on the injured list Saturday.
In the meantime, 27-year-old catcher Ben Rortvedt, a trade deadline acquisition that went under the radar due to the Dodgers’ previous depth behind the plate, has shown that he is more than capable of holding it down.
Rortvedt is hitting .308 in his last 10 games with a .785 OPS. In addition to his offense, Rortvedt has proven to be an incredible framer and a welcomed addition defensively.
As for Robinson, he started his season with the Los Angeles Angels after being dealt from the Chicago White Sox. He played on their Triple-A squad until he was designated for assignment at the end of May.
A few days later, the Dodgers claimed Robinson off waivers and he served as a backup catcher in Triple-A. After the aforementioned injuries to the backstops, Robinson made his first big league appearance of the year on Monday.
He will now head back to Triple-A Oklahoma City with the activation of Rushing and await his next opportunity.
Earlier this month, a few days before Rushing’s injury, manager Dave Roberts detailed what he wanted to see more of from his rookie backstop.
“For me, I want to see a consistent at-bat. I think at times he gets way too big with his swing. He tries to do too much. He has to understand that his role hitting at the bottom of the order is not to slug. It’s to take good at-bats, swing at strikes, take balls and get hits. It doesn’t have to be slug. I want to see a more consistent at-bat quality.”
With his return to the team and October right around the corner, there is not greater time to step up than the present.
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Photo Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
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