The Los Angeles Dodgers resume postseason play on Monday when they face the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series at American Family Field.
The Dodgers’ postseason roster against the Brewers figures to change from the NL Division Series as manager Dave Roberts suggested the team is considering adding an extra pitcher.
“I think now you’re talking about a potential seven-game series versus a potential five-game series, so now obviously pitching becomes more paramount,” Roberts said.
“I don’t know exactly how the roster is going to look, but I think the seven-game series, and then you layer on potential opponent, it’s going to look a little bit different.”
If the Dodgers do decide to carry an extra pitcher on their NLCS roster, Edgardo Henriquez would appear to be one of the leading candidates. He was included on the team’s roster for the Wild Card round but got removed for the NLDS.
The addition of a pitcher like Henriquez would likely come at the expense of a bench player such as Justin Dean, Hyeseong Kim or perhaps Dalton Rushing.
Dean was included on the Dodgers’ first two postseason rosters due to his elite glove and speed combo. He has appeared in all six playoff games thus far as a defensive replacement in center field. Dean also pinch-ran in the team’s NLDS-clinching victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.
Kim was additionally part of L.A.’s first two postseason rosters but his only appearance to this point has been in Game 4 of the NLDS, when he scored the winning run on Orion Kerkering’s error.
Other possible Dodgers NLCS roster moves
If the Dodgers prefer to keep both Dean and Kim on their NLCS roster, they could simply drop one of their backup catchers in order to carry an extra pitcher.
With Will Smith back in the lineup, the Dodgers may decide that they no longer need to carry three catchers. If that’s the case, one of Ben Rortvedt or Rushing could be removed.
Rushing’s only appearance in a playoff game came as a pinch-hitter.
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