The Los Angeles Dodgers roster for their National League Wild Card Series matchup against the Cincinnati Reds featured Will Smith as a third catcher, which didn’t come as much of a surprise considering he took at-bats in a simulated game during a workout on Monday night.
Not necessarily expected, however, was Justin Dean receiving a roster spot over Michael Conforto. Despite struggling throughout the season, the Dodgers often kept Conforto in the lineup and manager Dave Roberts regularly spoke highly of his work in effort to get on track.
Elsewhere on the Dodgers roster, Anthony Banda was not among the four left-handed relief pitchers the team elected to carry. Roberts deemed that a “very, very difficult decision.”
“I think having the length of some starters, and this is just a very right-hand heavy team. So looking at the landscape of their team, who they hit for, there would just not be a lot of opportunities for Anthony,” Roberts added.
“So very difficult conversation, but if we’re fortunate enough to get to the next round, he’ll be in there versus the Phillies.”
With Conforto, although Dean seemingly took the roster spot, the Dodgers also have Hyeseong Kim on the team in part because of Max Muncy missing the final four games of the regular season and Tommy Edman being limited by right ankle trouble.
“It’s been really difficult for Michael,” Roberts said. “But he’s owned every kind of performance. He’s owned his performance, hasn’t run away from it. He showed up to work every single day, offensively, defensively. So he’s one of my favorites. He’ll be ready if called upon, and hopefully we have a long run and we’re going to need him.”
Dean made his MLB debut this season and appeared in 18 games but didn’t make any starts and logged just two plate appearances. He primarily was utilized as a defensive replacement and pinch-runner.
Dean is expected to remain in a pinch-runner role and possibly enter games off the bench for defensive purposes.
Dodgers have honest conversations
Typically every October the Dodgers find themselves needing to make at least one difficult decision with respect to their playoff roster. They attempt to keep the player impacted in mind whenever doing so.
“Obviously opponent factors in, the fact that there’s three games in this series, the fact that we have some starters who are in the bullpen that provide some length. All factors that weigh in,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said.
“The health of certain guys, where they’re at, another factor that factors in. And inevitably you have tough conversations. No matter what direction we were going, we were going to have tough conversations. For us, it’s about as soon as the decision is made, having that conversation, being as honest and empathetic as we can.
“But ultimately we have to do whatever we feel like gives us the best chance to win.”
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