In a trade not even worth grading, the New York Mets have sent minor league catcher Ben Rortvedt to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Chayce McDermott. A career 12.00 ERA in the major leagues, this is one of those “so what?” kind of trades some saw coming weeks ago.
In late June, Rortvedt was predicted to get traded to the Dodgers. Already familiar with them, he brings minor league depth to Los Angeles as they deal with multiple injuries to their catcher core.
McDermott, meanwhile, heads to the Mets where he can get a chance to impress. In 240.1 Triple-A innings, we can come to the conclusion that his biggest issue has been finding control. If he can master that, maybe he’s something.
The bar is low for Chayce McDermott, the Mets aren’t unwise to give him a try
The truth of trading Rortvedt is the Mets were never getting much of anything back. McDermott, already DFA’d by the Dodgers, seems on-par.
The Triple-A numbers aren’t horrifying. He has a 4.19 ERA, resting at 4.10 this season in the Pacific Coast League. His 12 K/9 is notable. It has come with 5.7 BB/9. The major league numbers have been predictable, a horrendous 8.4 BB/9 with only 7.8 K/9.
This trade isn’t much different than the 2023 trade between the Mets and Dodgers which brought us Phil Bickford. The last time the Mets and Dodgers made a deadline move together, New York was apparently hoping Bickford could prove all of his doubters wrong. A two-time first-round draft pick who fell the second time he was selected, Bickford has been mostly M.I.A. in the sport in the years that followed.
McDermott has already had his last year of being optional used up in 2026. While the Mets can shuttle him back and forth for the remainder of 2026, he’s immediately placed on the roster bubble.
No one can complain about trading a minor leaguer with proven limitations for a warm body. McDermott. The only issue is the destination. Do the Dodgers really need any more help than they already have?
