The Los Angeles Dodgers postseason roster for their National League Championship Series matchup with the New York Mets predictably comprised of an even split of 13 pitches and 13 position players.
Equally not as surprising was Alex Vesia and Miguel Rojas not remaining on the playoff roster from the NL Division Series because of respective injuries. Though of the two, Rojas appeared to be the more likely possibility to remain active for the NLCS.
“It was obviously difficult,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said of leaving Rojas off the NLCS roster. “We are a much better team with Miguel Rojas a part of what we’re doing. Obviously he impacts the game in a lot of different ways.
“But just the re-aggravation of it, diving on defense and just how compromised the range would be, and the importance to get him right. Hopefully we can figure out how to win four games and have him alive for the next round.
“But it was one of those things that, we felt like, all we would do is set it back even more and have him not necessarily help us in this round and then also not be available.
“So it wasn’t easy. It’s unfortunate, but we’ve seen it a lot this year with the next-man-up mentality. And we saw it in the last round. We’ve had a lot of different things go on and guys have elevated their game and stepped up.”
Rojas played through a torn left adductor muscle for much of the second half of the season. He was removed from Game 3 of the NLDS after aggravating the injury on an attempt at a double play, and also upon being limited when running the bases shortly after.
Rojas missed Games 4 and 5 against the San Diego Padres, but did participate in the Dodgers’ NLCS workout on Saturday to determine his availability.
“He’s playable, but I think we as an organization felt that what he brings to the table as far as elite shortstop defense, we just feel right now physically he’s a little bit more compromised, that that can’t be brought to the table,” manager Dave Roberts said.
“So with Freddie (Freeman), kind of where he’s at physically, with potentially making a move in the outfield, in left field with a lead, you just kind of have to have pieces that you can kind of mix and match. So we just feel a few more days, another week would get Miggy back to being who he is.”
Brent Honeywell and Kevin Kiermaier were added to the Dodgers’ roster for the NLCS.
Dodgers shortstop plans without Miguel Rojas
Given that Rojas is going to miss the entire NLCS, barring being added onto the roster as an injury replacement, the Dodgers plan to have Tommy Edman handle starting duties at shortstop.
That opens an opportunity for Kiké Hernández to play center field on a regular basis, and it may also lead to Andy Pages taking on a larger role.
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