SEATTLE — Locked in because the Nationwide League’s No. 3 seed with the common season winding down, the Dodgers have been in a position to spend the weekend collection at T-Cell Park getting ready for the NL Wild Card Sequence.
That has concerned resting their regulars — Shohei Ohtani and Teoscar Hernández sat out of Saturday night time’s 5-3 win, whereas Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman had been out the prior sport — and taking a essential take a look at their roster to resolve who ought to make the reduce for the postseason.
“Now you see guys enjoying, competing for a chance to be on the postseason roster and in addition probably getting innings,” supervisor Dave Roberts stated. “I like that battle, and so they’re leaving all of it on the market. That is all I ask. And never be afraid to fail. Depart all the things you’ve on the market on the sector.”
The Dodgers will not discover out which staff — both the Reds or the Mets — will seize the third NL Wild Card spot till after Recreation 162. That would affect a few of their selections. Listed here are a number of the largest roster questions going through them earlier than their postseason begins on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium:
Might Tyler Glasnow be obtainable out of the ‘pen?Friday ended up being a bullpen sport, giving L.A. a take a look at seven arms — together with an electrical Roki Sasaki — who could possibly be a part of the postseason reduction image. Saturday’s starter, Glasnow, had a deliberate brief outing, pitching three scoreless innings. He’ll possible be on the roster for the Wild Card Sequence, Roberts stated.
“I believe that proper now, the place we’re at, we need to go together with our greatest,” Roberts stated. “Nevertheless that appears, that is form of the explanation why we shortened Emmet [Sheehan], shortened Tyler.”
The staff has not introduced its rotation for the Wild Card Sequence, however Ohtani, Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are lined up for the three video games. If Glasnow makes the roster, he could be utilized in reduction for the primary time since he was with the Pirates in 2018.
“In the event you boil it down, pitching is pitching,” Glasnow stated. “Simply attempt to go on the market and deal with it like one other inning. Perhaps have somewhat bit extra adrenaline. However I am trying ahead to it.”
What is the newest on Will Smith, and will he make the roster?Roberts stated the opposite day that he was “hoping,” somewhat than “hopeful,” that Smith could be obtainable in time for the Wild Card Sequence. Smith hit foam balls within the cage on Saturday, his first time swinging since imaging revealed he had a hairline fracture in his proper hand.
The Dodgers may choose to hold three catchers in the event that they really feel Smith is shut, however time will not be on their aspect.
“It is a balancing act as a result of, clearly, he is extremely gifted and we need to do all the things that we will to have him in there,” basic supervisor Brandon Gomes stated Friday. “However we might get to some extent the place, hey, it might not make sense that some share of Will is price placing on the roster. So we have got a number of days. I do not need to shut the door on him but. However we have got to go quick within the subsequent few days to see the place we’re at.”
How about others coping with lingering accidents?Tommy Edman (proper ankle) and Max Muncy (decrease physique) are each coping with some lingering discomfort that has restricted their enjoying time not too long ago. Edman returned to the lineup on Saturday, albeit because the DH, whereas Muncy has not performed since Wednesday. Each are anticipated to be able to go on Tuesday.
If both Edman or Muncy is compromised throughout the postseason run, then that would open the door for extra enjoying time for Kiké Hernández, who hit a go-ahead two-run double off Mariners nearer Andrés Muñoz within the ninth inning on Saturday.
Both approach, Hernández may feasibly earn himself extra enjoying time going ahead. He is a confirmed postseason performer, with an .875 OPS within the playoffs, in contrast with .708 within the common season, in his profession.
“We wanted to complete the season robust,” Hernández stated. “October is all about whoever’s enjoying the very best baseball on the finish of the season. And that is a very good staff over there.”
