How the 2020 Major League Baseball season takes shape, if at all, remains unclear, but what already is evident and widely accepted is it will feature teams playing with expanded rosters.
Considering regular doubleheaders are likely to be part of the schedule, increasing the number of players on an active roster will not only assist clubs in withstanding the physical demands, but also help protect pitching staffs.
Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and manager Dave Roberts are among those who have voiced early concerns over the possibility of pitchers succumbing to injuries during the early stages of what will be a unique season.
And though fewer games played can lead to unexpected outcomes, Roberts is confident the Dodgers will greatly benefit from expanded rosters, per Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated:
“When you shorten the season, less variables come into play. The smaller the sample size the more it brings other teams into play, which is great. But I do think when and if we start the season the expanded rosters will ultimately help our club.”
Since Friedman was hired to lead the front office after the 2014 season, the Dodgers have steadily added to their organizational depth and reaped the benefits of it on a yearly basis.
En route to setting a franchise record with 106 wins, they used 46 players last season, including nine rookies; eight of those made their respective MLB debut. And when broken down further, four — Matt Beaty, Gavin Lux, Dustin May and Will Smith — were on the active roster for the National League Division Series.
At minimum, the Dodgers were already looking at the prospect of a 26-man roster for 2020. The extra spot presumably was going to be given to a pitcher, though the Dodgers certainly have an abundance of position players who could make an argument for a spot on the bench.
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