LOS ANGELES — With a few days to go before pitchers and catchers report to Camelback Ranch, the Dodgers made their first real roster shakeup of spring — and it’s a move that quietly says a lot about how this front office is thinking.
On Friday, the Dodgers announced they claimed catcher Ben Rortvedt and designated left-hander Anthony Banda for assignment. One move looks like depth. The other feels like the end of a surprisingly meaningful run.
Dodgers are claiming catcher Ben Rortvedt and designated LHP Anthony Banda for assignment.@SportingTrib | #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/Mh4u6Wxy2X
— Fredo Cervantes (@FredoCervantes) February 6, 2026
Let’s start with Banda, because this one stings.
Banda became a fan favorite in Los Angeles for a reason. He was part of the back-to-back championship run, always seemed to be ready when Dave Roberts called, one of the more effective relievers in the bullpen. The numbers back it up: 71 regular-season appearances, a 3.18 ERA, and a 5–1 record. Against left-handed hitters, he was especially tough, doing exactly what the Dodgers asked him to do.
The postseason, though, told a different story. Banda struggled in October, allowing runs in seven appearances and finishing with a 9.53 ERA over 5⅔ innings. Fair or not, October weighs heavy, especially on a roster this crowded.
And crowded is really the key word here.
Banda carries a $1.625 million arbitration salary, and the Dodgers currently have six left-handed relievers on the 40-man roster. Something had to give, and Banda ended up being the odd man out. At 32, he won’t be unemployed for long. Some team is going to see value there.
On the other side of the move is Rortvedt, a name Dodgers fans are already familiar with.
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell (7) and catcher Ben Rortvedt (47) walk to the dudout prior to game two of the NLDS round against the Philadelphia Phillies for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Citizens...
Rortvedt first joined the Dodgers during last years trade deadline from the Rays, and that’s where things started to get interesting.
In 18 games, he hit .224 with one home run and four RBI in 58 plate appearances. But his real value wasn’t the bat — it was trust.
Late in the season, when Will Smith was hurt, the Dodgers didn’t hesitate. Rortvedt leapfrogged Dalton Rushing on the depth chart and became the starter. That trust carried into the playoffs, which told you everything you needed to know about how the organization viewed him.
Now he’s back, but not without complications.
Rortvedt is owed $1.25 million after the arbitration settlement he signed with the Dodgers before being waived in November.
The Dodgers aren’t carrying three catchers to open the season. That’s not happening. So something has to give again.
Rushing is the obvious pivot point. He’s younger, controllable, and absolutely has trade value. If the Dodgers think Rortvedt is the better short-term fit behind Smith — defensively, game-calling wise, comfort with the pitching staff — then Rushing becomes a very real trade chip.
There’s also the blunt option: DFA Rortvedt again if the Dodgers decide they need a 40-man spot for someone like Kiké Hernández, should a reunion come together. It wouldn’t be elegant, but the Dodgers have never been sentimental about roster churn.
The bigger picture? These moves underline just how tight the margins are on this roster. The Dodgers aren’t done adding. They’re not done subtracting either. Every 40-man spot matters, every option year matters, and every arbitration dollar matters.
As pitchers and catchers report to Arizona next Friday, the Dodgers still have cards to play. Banda’s departure closes one chapter. Rortvedt’s return opens another. And between now and Opening Day, don’t be surprised if the backup catcher situation — or Rushing’s future — becomes one of the more quietly fascinating storylines in camp.
Spring training hasn’t even started yet, and the roster math is already in midseason form.
