The other guy the Dodgers traded for
Tarik Skubal made his Dodgers debut Tuesday at Wrigley and everyone watched every pitch. Arash Markazi argues the catcher who called the game — Ben Rortvedt— may end up mattering just as much.
Good morning! The Skubal era began at Wrigley Field, and it began with a loss — 6-1 to the Cubs, the Dodgers’ fifth straight. But the more interesting story might have been the guy catching him. Elsewhere, the Padres answered Monday’s dud with a 16-hit night in Phoenix, A’ja Wilson picked up another Player of the Week nod, the Chargers put the pads on in San Diego, and Maxx Crosby shared some advice worth hearing. Let’s get into it.
🚨 HEADLINES
⚾ The overlooked move. Ben Rortvedt is back — and the Dodgers know exactly what that’s worth — Arash Markazi at Wrigley Field.
⚾ Bats wake up. Manny Machado drove in four as the Padres put up 16 hits in a 9-4 win over Arizona — Eric Evelhoch at Chase Field.
🏀 Wilson honored again. A’ja Wilson picked up her third Western Conference Player of the Week award of the season — Arion Armeniakos in Las Vegas.
🏈 Pads on in San Diego. The Chargers’ first padded practice brought intensity, a Rashawn Slater update and an O-line battle — Fernando Ramirez at Toreros Stadium.
🏈 “Don’t wait to lead.” Maxx Crosby on the Rich Bisaccia advice that stuck with him — Muhammed Asif in Las Vegas.
🏈 A week in. The evolution of the Raiders is coming into focus as camp hits the seven-day mark — Derek Hegna in Henderson.
🏈 Cowboys risers. Jaishawn Barham and Jaydon Blue are building momentum in Oxnard — Sebastian Sanchez has it.
See what else is trending at The Sporting Tribune.
📋 SCOREBOARD — TUESDAY
⚾ MLB: Cubs 6, Dodgers 1 · Padres 9, Diamondbacks 4 · Orioles 3, Angels 1
⚾ THE MOVE NOBODY REALLY TALKED ABOUT
Tarik Skubal dominated the conversation before and after Tuesday’s 6-1 loss to the Cubs, and understandably so — every pitch of the reigning two-time Cy Young winner’s Dodgers debut was scrutinized. But the most important player on the field might have been the catcher behind the plate. Ben Rortvedt has played this role before. A year ago, with Will Smith and Dalton Rushing both down and the Dodgers having lost five straight and seven of eight, Los Angeles made what looked like a minor move to stabilize the position. Rortvedt hit .224 with one homer in 18 regular-season games — and the Dodgers went 20-6 from Sept. 7 through Oct. 9 and rode it to the NLCS. “I don’t think we get out of that Philly series without Ben Rortvedt,” Dave Roberts said Tuesday. “I really don’t.”
The parallels are hard to miss. The Dodgers have lost five straight and six of eight. Smith is expected back later this season, but Rushing’s outlook is murkier after a slight UCL tear in his right elbow — no throwing for several weeks, no timetable. Roberts handed Rortvedt the Skubal debut anyway. “For me to trust him coming out and starting a big league game with Tarik Skubal on the mound says a lot about what I think of him.” Skubal agreed: “He called a great game. We were on the same page all night.” Rortvedt, for his part, says this reunion feels different: “It’s cool to have some friends here now and to not be intimidated walking into the clubhouse. Last year is last year, and we’re just trying to get back to where we were.”
GO DEEPER
› Arash Markazi: Rortvedt could be the Dodgers’ most important trade deadline addition (The Sporting Tribune)
› Arash Markazi: Tarik Skubal makes the Dodgers better but not unbeatable (The Sporting Tribune)
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⚾ THE PADRES PUNCH BACK IN PHOENIX
One night after going quiet against Brandon Pfaadt, San Diego ambushed Arizona early — three runs in the first, three more in the second — and held on for a 9-4 win. Manny Machado matched his season high with four RBIs and was one of three Padres with three hits, joining Jackson Merrill and Jake Cronenworth in a 16-hit night; all three of San Diego’s 16-hit games have come since July 19. All-Star Eduardo Rodriguez, who’d allowed two or fewer runs in eight of his last nine starts, got roughed up. “We brought energy in the dugout today,” manager Craig Stammen said. “The at-bats were all locked in from the beginning.” Randy Vásquez turned in six scoreless for his seventh win. Xander Bogaerts left in the seventh after fouling a ball off his foot near where he fractured it in 2025, but X-rays were negative and he’s expected to play Wednesday, when Casey Mize makes his Padres debut. San Diego is 59-55, one back of Arizona.
GO DEEPER
› Eric Evelhoch: Padres hang 6 runs early, hold D-backs at arm’s reach the rest of the way (The Sporting Tribune)
🏈 CAMP TURNS PHYSICAL ACROSS THE REGION
The pads came on this week and the tone changed everywhere. The Chargers moved camp south to the University of San Diego for their first padded practice, bringing real intensity, an injury update on Rashawn Slater and the beginnings of an offensive line battle. In Henderson, the Raiders hit the one-week mark with their identity starting to take shape — and Maxx Crosby reflecting on advice from Rich Bisaccia that shaped how he approaches the room: don’t wait to lead. Up in Oxnard, linebacker Jaishawn Barham and running back Jaydon Blue are making themselves hard to ignore as Cowboys camp intensifies. Nothing counts yet. Everything is being noticed.
GO DEEPER
› Fernando Ramirez: Chargers’ 1st padded practice brings intensity, Slater injury update, O-line battle takes shape (The Sporting Tribune)
› Derek Hegna: The evolution of the Raiders becoming apparent as training camp hits week-long mark (The Sporting Tribune)
› Muhammed Asif: Raiders’ Maxx Crosby recalls Rich Bisaccia advice — ‘Don’t wait to lead’ (The Sporting Tribune)
📺 WATCHLIST — WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5
MLB: Dodgers at Cubs — SNLA— 11:15 a.m. PT
MLB: Angels at Orioles — ABTV — 3:30 p.m. PT
MLB: Padres at Diamondbacks — Padres TV — 6:40 p.m. PT
WNBA — Sparks at Sky — USA, CNBC — 6:00 p.m. PT
MLS: Chivas at LAFC — Apple TV — 7:30 p.m. PT
🎟️ GOING TO A GAME?
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MLS: Chivas at LAFC — BMO Stadium — $194
🌴 TST TRIVIA
Ben Rortvedt was acquired to steady the Dodgers behind the plate. Which two catchers were sidelined when Los Angeles first traded for him last season?
Answer at the bottom.
🎧 THE SPORTING TRIBUNE TODAY
Today’s episode gets into Skubal’s debut, with a look at why Ben Rortvedt may matter more than the headlines suggest, plus the Padres’ bounce-back in Phoenix and pads coming on across camps in Los Angeles, San Diego, Henderson and Oxnard. Hear it on the radio across Southern California, Las Vegas and Hawaii via Westwood One Sports, The Bet Las Vegas, Hawaii Sports Radio Network and KIRN in Los Angeles.
› Listen to the latest episode
Trivia answer: Will Smith and Dalton Rushing. The same two sidelined now.
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