Inside The Dodgers

Dodgers News: LA Announces NLCS Roster With Few Surprises

Valentina Martinez

Oct 11, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) and shortstop Miguel Rojas (11) react to a solo home run by third baseman Enrique Hernandez (not pictured) in the second inning against the San Diego Padres during game five of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Oct 11, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) and shortstop Miguel Rojas (11) react to a solo home run by third baseman Enrique Hernandez (not pictured) in the second inning against the San Diego Padres during game five of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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The Dodgers released the roster for the National League Championship Series, which includes a few surprises. The roster includes Kevin Kiermaier and Brent Honeywell but does not include Miguel Rojas and Alex Vesia.

Rojas was left off after re-aggravating his abductor injury at the end of the NLDS. Vesia was less of a suprise since he suffered an intercostal injury in Game 5 of the NLDS.

Besides the additions of Kiermaier and Honeywell, the rest of the roster is essentially the same from the NLDS.

There was speculation that Tony Gonsolin would be on the roster after manager Dave Roberts said he was an option, however, the Dodgers ultimately chose to leave him off.

Gonsolin is still recovering from surgery and the Dodgers made it clear the team wouldn't push him to return sooner than necessary.

The 13 pitchers include Anthony Banda, Ryan Brasier, Walker Buehler, Ben Casparius, Jack Flaherty, Edgardo Henriquez, Brent Honeywell, Daniel Hudson, Landon Knack, Michael Kopech, Evan Phillips, Blake Treinen, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Banda is the only left-handed pitcher on the roster.

Roberts said there will likely be less bullpen outings in the seven-game series. The Dodgers' starting pitchers will have to play deep into games in order to prevent overtaxing the bullpen.

"There's certainly a possibility of a bullpen game or two," he said. "But with that we're going to have to ask innings from other guys. That's just the reality.

I don't think that in a seven-game series we have the luxury to max out guys like we did from the pen in a five-game series."

The 13 position players include Austin Barnes, Mookie Betts, Tommy Edman, Freddie Freeman, Kiké Hernández, Teoscar Hernández, Kevin Kiermaier, Gavin Lux, Max Muncy, Shohei Ohtani, Andy Pages, Will Smith, and Chris Taylor.

The status of Freeman is something to monitor since his right ankle sprain prevented him from playing every single game of the NLDS.

"My goal is, and I think Freddie would say the same thing, would be to play every game," Roberts said.
"Certainly we have a day after night game. He feels better today than he did yesterday. So I think that's encouraging."

"So I think my message to him is let's not get too far ahead of things and let's worry about the day at hand," Roberts added. "So right now I feel very confident that he'll be in there tomorrow and we'll kind of see where that goes."

The Dodgers usually switch Muncy to first and put Kiké at third when Freeman is out. The hope is that Freeman can play all or a majority of the upcoming series against the New York Mets.

The Mets are in Los Angeles for Game 1 which kick off at 5:08 p.m. Sunday at Dodger Stadium.

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Valentina Martinez
VALENTINA MARTINEZ

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