CHICAGO — As the trade deadline approached Monday afternoon, the Dodgers addressed an area where they need depth by re-acquiring catcher Ben Rortvedt – and an area where they are very deep, trading for injured starting pitcher Kris Bubic.
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An All-Star with the Kansas City Royals in 2025, the 28-year-old Bubic has not pitched since mid-May – not unlike Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow – with both elbow and shoulder issues. Bubic is currently on the 60-day injured list (so he will not have to be added to the Dodgers’ 40-man roster) and shut down his throwing program in July after receiving a cortisone injection in his shoulder.
In exchange for Bubic, the Dodgers sent right-hander Carlos Duran to the Royals. Duran, 25, was traded to the A’s for the 2025 season and made his big-league debut, pitching ⅓ of an inning in May. He re-signed with the Dodgers in the offseason and had spent this year in Triple-A, going 3-2 with a 3.38 ERA for Oklahoma City.
Bubic is eligible for free agency this winter. In seven seasons with the Royals, he was 22-38 with a 4.14 ERA, primarily as a starter. He made the American League All-Star team in 2025 while going 8-7 with a 2.55 ERA in 20 starts.
The Dodgers also re-acquired Rortvedt for the third time in the past year. This time, Rortvedt comes from the New York Mets, where he was playing in Triple-A, in exchange for right-hander Chayce McDermott. McDermott was designated for assignment by the Dodgers on Friday.
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Rortvedt became a Dodger for the first time at last year’s trade deadline when he was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays as part of a three-way trade also involving the Cincinnati Reds. He was claimed on waivers by the Reds in November, reclaimed by the Dodgers on waivers in February, then waived by the Dodgers and claimed by the Mets just over a week later.
The 28-year-old Rortvedt has spent this season in Triple-A and was not on the Mets’ 40-man roster so the Dodgers do not necessarily have to add him to their 40-man roster and could keep him in Triple-A as they assess the state of their catching depth.
Currently, Will Smith is on the injured list with an inflamed disc in his neck and is not expected back any time soon. Dalton Rushing was scratched from Sunday’s starting lineup with a sore arm.
Rortvedt hit .235 with six home runs and a .733 OPS in 48 games for Triple-A Syracuse.
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More to come on this story.