The playoffs have started and the Dodgers are anxiously awaiting their Divisional Round, so let’s have some fun and spend some time on who might make the Post Season roster.
Who is Eligible?
When considering who might make the Post Season roster, it first needs to be determined who is eligible, so let’s tackle that aspect of it first.
Any player that was in the organization before September 1st, in any regard, is eligible. It doesn’t matter if they weren’t put on the 40 man before then, as long as they were in the organization by the end of the last day of August, they qualify.
The first person that comes to mind in terms of these parameters is Kyle Hurt. Because he wasn’t placed on the 40 man until September 12th, which is after the September 1st deadline, his status has been a source of confusion for many Dodgers fans.
I’ve been asked several times if he is eligible, and the answer is yes, and with no stipulations. As in 0! Hurt is squarely a long shot, but he is 100% eligible, the same way Clayton Kershaw is.
How Many Make the Roster?
Another question I get a lot is, how many make the post season roster.
In the regular season each team carries 26 men on their active roster, typically 13 pitchers and 13 position players. In September they get to add 1 pitcher and 1 position player to swell the active roster to 28. But, in the post season, that roster shrinks back down to 26, which means that means 1 pitcher and 1 position player that ended the season on the active roster will not make the first post season cut.
So, who will those 2 be?
Here is my best guess
Position Players
These are the position players I think WILL make it.
- Austin Barnes
- Will Smith
- Freddie Freeman
- Kike Hernandez
- Max Muncy
- Miguel Rojas
- Chris Taylor
- Mookie Betts
- Jason Heyward
- James Outman
- David Peralta
- JD Martinez
- Amed Rosario
That leaves Kolten Wong off of the 1st round roster, in my opinion, but, the club doesn’t ask me, so take that for what it’s worth, which is absolutely nothing.Â
Pitchers
So, who are the pitchers that will make it? This is where it gets tricky, and likely is still undecided upon by the organization. Keep in mind, these rosters can change in between rounds in the playoffs, so they may change for each new opponent the Dodgers face in the playoffs.
Let’s all hope they face 3!
Of course, all things are fluid, especially the way this year has gone, but here are the pitchers I think are virtually 100% safe.
- Ryan Brasier
- Brusdar Graterol
- Joe KellyÂ
- Clayton Kershaw
- Shelby Miller
- Bobby Miller
- Evan Phillips
Here are the next round of pitchers that I think are most likely to make the first round roster.
- Ryan Pepiot
- Emmet Sheehan
- Ryan Yarbrough
That leaves 3 spots for the following pitchers
- Lance Lynn
- Victor Gonzalez
- Caleb Ferguson
- Alex Vesia
- Michael Grove
- Kyle Hurt
- Gavin Stone
The fact that Victor Gonzalez got brought back up for just 1 last game would suggest that he is not a candidate over Lance Lynn, Caleb Ferguson or Alex Vesia.Â
Kyle Hurt is not likely if everyone stays healthy, and Gavin Stone is unlikely as well.
The Lefties
The first round is a best of 5, so the Dodgers don’t have to keep 3 left handed relievers. In fact, in my opinion, I don’t think they need to keep more than 1 lefty reliever.Â
I come to that conclusion based on the fact that neither Caleb Ferguson nor Alex Vesia have left handed splits that make them automatic against lefties.Â
Caleb Ferguson vs. lefties has an average against of .266, a WHIP of 1.27, and has given up 21 hits in 19.2 innings.
Alex Vesia has given up 24 hits, and has an average against of .279 and a WHIP of 1.41 against lefties.
So, these facts, in my opinion, lean towards simply choosing the BEST pitchers available, and not ones that are chosen based on matchups.Â
Final Verdict
I think Lance Lynn is safe, at least in the first round, although if the Dodgers end up facing the Braves I think that could change.Â
So, that leaves 2 spots.
Those 2 spots are either going to go to 1 of the remaining lefties and then Michael Grove, or to both of the lefties, Caleb Ferguson and Alex Vesia. If both Ferguson and Vesia get left off, not likely, that opens up a spot for Kyle Hurt, who, in my opinion, would be the next in line.
Just For Fun!
If it were up to me, which, obviously it isn’t, this is the roster I would submit for the 1st round.
Position Players
- Austin Barnes
- Will Smith
- Freddie Freeman
- Kike Hernandez
- Max Muncy
- Miguel Rojas
- Chris Taylor
- Mookie Betts
- Jason Heyward
- James Outman
- David Peralta
- JD Martinez
- Amed Rosario
Pitchers
- Ryan Brasier
- Brusdar Graterol
- Michael Grove
- Kyle Hurt
- Joe KellyÂ
- Clayton Kershaw
- Lance Lynn
- Shelby Miller
- Bobby Miller
- Ryan Pepiot
- Evan Phillips
- Emmet Sheehan
- Ryan Yarbrough
Game 1: Kershaw
Game 2: Miller
Game 3: Pepiot
Then play it by ear from there. Sheehan and Grove in the pen/piggyback, as well as Yarbrough, and Lynn a possible starter in Game 4 with a short leash and the A Team relievers ready.Â
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