Dodgers Reinforce Roster, Reactivate Three Players Off Injured List
The Los Angeles Dodgers activated catchers Will Smith and Dalton Rushing along with left-handed pitcher Justin Wrobleski from the injured list on Tuesday afternoon. The club also promoted infielder Alex Freeland to the major league roster, restoring several key pieces ahead of the stretch run.
To clear roster space, Los Angeles optioned outfielder Alek Thomas and catcher Ben Rortvedt to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Both players had been acquired from the New York Mets before the trade deadline. Smith, a three-time All-Star from 2023 to 2025, had been sidelined since June 5 with a neck injury; in 52 games this season he has hit .249/.338/.382 with six home runs, 23 RBIs and a 101 OPS+. Rushing, who stepped in as the everyday catcher during Smith's absence, last played Aug. 1 because of an arm injury. He has posted a .253/.335/.475 line with 12 home runs, 36 RBIs, a 123 OPS+ and 1.4 wins above replacement over 74 games. Wrobleski, an All-Star this season, hasn't started since Aug. 15 due to a forearm injury; he carries a 3.56 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 114 ERA+ and two wins above replacement across 126 ⅓ innings, though he struggled to an 8.69 ERA over his final four starts before landing on the injured list. minnesota 5th district democratic primary polls 2026 omar reeves
The Dodgers' pitching staff is also nearing full health elsewhere. Blake Snell is four starts removed from elbow surgery, and Tyler Glasnow returned last week after roughly 15 weeks out with back spasms. Shohei Ohtani, who has continued serving as the team's primary designated hitter, has not pitched since July 3 because of knee inflammation and a biceps issue, leaving his return to the rotation as the next open question for manager Dave Roberts.
Los Angeles enters Tuesday as the National League's No. 2 seed at 82-55, holding a half-game edge over the Atlanta Braves (82-56) for the second wild-card bye and sitting 2.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers (85-53) for the league's best record. The Dodgers lead the San Diego Padres (73-65) by 9.5 games in the NL West. They open a three-game home series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.
