Dodgers’ Drew Butera having his rough moments behind the plate

Pitchers rave about the way Drew Butera works behind the plate. He came to the Dodgers last season with a reputation as a defensive whiz and quickly everyone could understand why.

Only that’s not to imply he hasn’t had his rough moments.

With A.J. Ellis on the disabled list for the second time this season, Butera has now started more games (20) than any other Dodgers’ catcher. Ellis has started 15, Tim Federowicz 13 and the released Miguel Olivo six.

Wednesday night Butera was charged with his seventh passed ball of the season, which, incredibly, leads the majors. Arizona’s Miguel Montero has started 48 games and has one passed ball. Maybe Butera needs to put some stick-’em on that mitt.

Butera also failed to stop a Clayton Kershaw pitch that bounced in the dirt directly in front of him from skipping past for a wild pitch that allowed the winning run to score in the Reds’ 3-2 victory.

“I have to block it,” Butera said. “That’s my job. That’s my fault.”

Butera is the only Dodgers catcher charged with a passed ball this season.

Butera has thrown out 40.4% of runners attempting to steal in the minors, but so far this season he’s thrown out only one in eight attempts.