The Washington Nationals finalized their postseason roster for the 2019 National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, opting to carry 14 position players and just 11 pitchers (seven relievers).
Among those to make the cut were a pair of young right-handers in Wander Suero and Austin Voth. They replaced catcher Raudy Read and outfielder Andrew Stevenson, who were both included on the Nationals’ NL Wild Card Game roster.
Suero compiled a 6-9 record with a 4.54 ERA, 3.07 FIP and 1.26 WHIP during the regular season, striking out 81 batters against 26 walks in 71.1 innings pitched (78 games).
Voth, a rookie that exceeded expectations for the Nationals this season, accumulated a 2-1 record, 3.30 ERA, 3.79 FIP and 1.05 WHIP with 44 strikeouts in comparison to 13 walks across 43.2 innings of work (nine games, eight starts).
Washington’s 25-man roster additionally features a trio of familiar names that once played for the Dodgers. Daniel Hudson, who pitched for L.A. during the 2018 season, has emerged as one of the Nationals’ most-trusted relievers in the later innings.
Acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays at the July 31 trade deadline, the right-hander has posted a minuscule 1.44 ERA and 0.88 WHIP with 23 strikeouts in 25 innings pitched. He recorded the final out in the Nationals’ 4-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Wild Card Game.
Washington’s position-player group also features Brian Dozier and Howie Kendrick, who both enjoyed previous stints with the Dodgers. The former was acquired by L.A. at the 2018 non-waiver trade deadline from the Minnesota Twins and was included on all three of their postseason rosters last year.
Dozier, however, struggled to the tune of a .182/.300/.350 batting line with nine doubles, five home runs and 20 RBI in 47 games. He has bounced back some with the Nationals ahead of becoming a free agent at the end of the year.
As for Kendrick, he spent the 2015-16 seasons with the Dodgers before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies the following offseason. In those two years with L.A., he hit .274/.331/.387 with 48 doubles, four triples, 17 home runs and 94 RBI over 1,038 plate appearances (263 games).
Below is a break down of the Nationals’ 25-man roster for the 2019 NLDS (players listed alphabetically in each position group)
Starting pitchers (4): Patrick Corbin, Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Anibal Sanchez
Relief pitchers (7): Sean Doolittle, Daniel Hudson, Tanner Rainey, Fernando Rodney, Hunter Strickland, Wander Suero, Austin Voth
Catchers (2): Yan Gomes, Kurt Suzuki
Infielders (7): Matt Adams, Asdrubal Cabrera, Brian Dozier, Howie Kendrick, Anthony Rendon, Trea Turner, Ryan Zimmerman
Outfielders (5): Adam Eaton, Gerardo Parra, Victor Robles, Juan Soto, Michael A. Taylor
