Will Smith uncertainty is putting pressure on Andrew Friedman's minor Dodgers trade acquisition

Sometimes it's the little moves that can have an outsized impact. The Los Angeles Dodgers had a quiet trade deadline on all fronts. Perhaps the club's highest profile acquisition was reuniting with reliever Brock Stewart in a trade with the Minnesota Twins, a moderate effort to fix a struggling bullpen.

Of course, Stewart went on to do what most pitchers do once they don Dodger Blue and headed to the IL. Lost in that particular shuffle was the trade Los Angeles made with the Tampa Bay Rays to acquire depth catcher Ben Rortvedt, which could have a far larger impact on the Dodgers' fate.

Rortvedt was an afterthought, an indictment on Chuckie Robinson as their Triple-A depth and nothing more. After all, superstar Will Smith resides behind the plate, and top prospect Dalton Rushing was backing him up, champing at the bit for an opportunity to prove his worth at the big league level.

Fast forward to the beginning of September, and Rortvedt swiftly (somehow) became essential. Now, heading into October, Rortvedt will become even more important than previously thought.

Will Smith's latest injury update puts a whole new level of pressure on Ben Rortvedt as the Dodgers prepare for the playoffs

The injury that sidelined Smith was originally diagnosed as a bone bruise in his hand; however, further tests confirmed that the All-Star catcher actually suffered a hairline fracture. Recovery time varies. Just ask Yordan Álvarez of the Houston Astros, who missed nearly four months with a fractured hand. Typically speaking, such an injury can take a couple of months to fully heal.

For now, Smith is preparing for his return, doing the kind of work that doesn't involve the use of his hand. That means no throwing and no swinging of the bat just yet. Smith said a return to baseball activities will be a “pain-tolerance kind of thing," per Bill Plunkett of the OC Register.

That puts Smith's status for at least part of the playoffs as a question mark, and furthermore makes his effectiveness if and when he is able to work his way back an open question. Missing a bat that has posted a 153 wRC+ in 2025 will be a big blow to the Dodgers' lineup.

Meanwhile, Dalton Rushing has fallen flat with a .188/.248/.289 line in his 141 big league plate appearances, causing him to fall behind Rortvedt in the pecking order behind the dish.

That will put even more pressure on the defensive-minded journeyman to perform under the brightest lights. After a disastrous start to the season with Tampa, Rortvedt has been competent at the plate with a .256/.333/.372 line in his first 16 games as a member of the Dodgers.

While it might seem like a big challenge for a little-known player, Rortvedt was once a second-round pick of the Minnesota Twins back in 2016 coming out of high school. While never the most highly-regarded, he reached No. 24 on the Twins' top prospect list in 2019 and would remain one of their Top-30 prospects until 2021.

At 27 years old, there's still a chance that he has some unrealized potential, no matter how slim, and this pressure-packed opportunity might just be what brings it out. At the very least, he should provide the Dodgers with some solid defensive chops at catcher, while displaying some decent patience at the plate. That might be just enough to survive until Smith can return.