Dodgers Get Will Smith and Dalton Rushing Back From Injured List as Rosters Expand to 28

The Los Angeles Dodgers finally got their starting catcher back.

Will Smith was activated off the 60-day injured list Tuesday, ending a stretch that started June 5 when what was first described as a minor neck issue turned into an inflamed disc that kept him out for nearly three months, according to Fox Sports. Before he got hurt, Smith had played 52 games this season, hitting .249/.338/.382 with 6 home runs, 23 RBIs and a 101 OPS+, a down year by his standards after three straight All-Star seasons.

The Dodgers also activated backup catcher Dalton Rushing and left-hander Justin Wrobleski, and added infielder Alex Freeland to the roster. To clear space, they optioned outfielder Alek Thomas to Triple-A Oklahoma City and designated catcher Ben Rortvedt for assignment, according to the team's own announcement carried by Heavy.com.

The timing lines up with the September 1 roster expansion, when active rosters across MLB grow from 26 to 28 players.

Rushing's return came sooner than expected

Rushing hadn't played since August 1 because of a partial tear in his right UCL, and he came back without even a minor-league rehab assignment, according to the New York Post. He's questionable to catch again this season and is going through a throwing program, MLB.com reported, meaning for now he's a pinch-hitter only.

Rushing had taken over as the everyday catcher during Smith's absence and hit .253/.335/.475 with 12 home runs and 36 RBIs across 74 games, according to Fox Sports and Yahoo Sports, giving the Dodgers a left-handed bat they've badly needed off the bench.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has been blunt about the odds of Rushing catching again. "I still think it's unlikely but we're still going through the process and I hope I'm wrong," Roberts said, according to Heavy.com. "He's determined to go through the progression and build up to get back and we'll see where we're at."

The catching carousel is over, for now

While Smith and Rushing were out, the Dodgers cycled through five other catchers trying to plug the hole, including Chuckie Robinson, Eliezer Alfonzo, Hunter Feduccia and Rortvedt, per the New York Post. None of them replicated what Smith or Rushing provided.

Feduccia hit .262 over 20 games and will now serve as Smith's backup, according to MLB.com. Rortvedt, acquired from the New York Mets before the trade deadline, hit just .185 in 16 games and had no minor-league options left, forcing the DFA, Fox Sports reported. He's now subject to waivers.

Wrobleski, a first-time All-Star this year, missed time with left forearm inflammation and is set to shift into the bullpen as a multi-inning reliever for the stretch run rather than returning to the rotation, according to MLB.com. He carries a 3.56 ERA and 1.10 WHIP across 20 starts and 126 1/3 innings this season, per Fox Sports.

Where this leaves the roster

Freeland's addition could let the Dodgers move Tommy Edman, who's mostly played second base, back into the outfield, according to the New York Post and MLB.com. The Dodgers had reportedly been exploring outside options to platoon with left fielder Teoscar Hernández before settling on the internal move.

Roberts has downplayed the idea that September callups will reshape the lineup significantly, telling reporters earlier this month that regulars need "the runway they need to get right in time for the postseason." But he also left the door open: "I think at some point you gotta go with the guys that you're gonna go with into the postseason, potentially through the postseason," Roberts said, per MLB.com.

The Dodgers entered Tuesday's home game against the St. Louis Cardinals at 82-55, holding a 9.5-game lead in the NL West over the San Diego Padres, according to Yahoo Sports. They sit a half-game ahead of the Atlanta Braves for the National League's second wild-card bye and 2.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the best record in the league, Fox Sports reported.

The rotation is also nearing full strength. Blake Snell is four starts removed from elbow surgery and Tyler Glasnow returned last week after roughly 15 weeks out with back spasms, according to Fox Sports. Shohei Ohtani hasn't pitched since July 3 due to knee inflammation and a biceps issue, though he's continued serving as the team's primary designated hitter.

Whether Smith's bat and Rushing's presence actually fix an offense that's slumped for weeks is the open question heading into October. Rortvedt's next stop, and whether any team claims him off waivers, is a smaller thread to watch in the meantime.