The Los Angeles Dodgers successfully navigated an injury-plagued regular season and won the National League pennant despite the likes of Brusdar Graterol, Joe Kelly, Miguel Rojas and Alex Vesia being among those who weren’t on their playoff roster against the New York Mets.
Graterol was put back on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation during the final week of the regular season, while Kelly was lost to shoulder trouble in the bye week leading up to the National League Division Series, Rojas aggravated his sports hernia against the San Diego Padres, and Vesia suffered an intercostal injury in Game 5 that round.
Graterol was immediately declared a week-by-week case, and Kelly, Rojas and Vesia were considered potential options to return if the Dodgers reached the World Series.
That has come to be, with Game 1 against the New York Yankees scheduled for Friday night.
The Dodgers don’t yet know which of their injured players, if any, will be added onto the postseason roster, but there is some optimism with the group.
Alex Vesia or Brusdar Graterol on World Series roster?
Already having leaned heavily on their bullpen in October and with still one more round to go, the Dodgers would stand to benefit from Vesia or Graterol getting healthy.
Manager Dave Roberts said Vesia was scheduled to face batters on Tuesday or Wednesday, and Graterol is due to throw a bullpen session during a workout this week as well.
“They both are trending in the right direction, but I do feel with both those guys, it’s going to be a game-time decision as far as when we’ve got to submit, if they’re going to be viable or not,” Roberts added.
He additionally acknowledged that Vesia is “more likely” than Graterol to be on the Dodgers roster for the World Series but reiterated such a decision would not be made until Friday.
The Dodgers have until the morning of Game 1 to officially submit their World Series roster.
After the Dodgers eliminated the Mets, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said it was possible Graterol and Vesia would be back with the team for the World Series.
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