The Dodgers and Mets have introduced their 26-man rosters for the NLCS this afternoon. Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas was a notable omission from the L.A. roster, whereas Mets infielder Jeff McNeil is notably becoming a member of the membership’s roster after a wrist fracture sidelined him all through the ultimate month of the common season and the early a part of the playoffs. Rojas was changed on the membership’s roster by outfielder Kevin Kiermaier, whereas right-hander Adam Ottavino was dropped from the Mets’ roster to accommodate McNeil. Left-hander Alex Vesia was additionally left off the Dodgers’ newest roster, with right-hander Brent Honeywell Jr. added to the roster as Vesia’s substitute. Rojas, Ottavino, and Vesia can be eligible for the membership’s World Sequence roster as a result of they weren’t faraway from the roster mid-series.
Rojas departs the membership’s postseason roster after struggling {a partially} torn adductor muscle late within the common season. The 35-year-old veteran was in a position to relaxation up in the course of the Wild Card Sequence, which the Dodgers didn’t take part in after capturing a bye via the primary spherical, and take part within the NLDS towards the Padres. He re-aggravated the harm whereas taking part in within the sequence, nevertheless, and appeared in simply three of the 5 video games whereas going 2-for-8 on the plate. Whereas Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Instances notes that Rojas believes that he’s at the moment wholesome sufficient to play, the Dodgers had been evidently involved that if Rojas aggravated the harm additional he can be unavailable for the World Sequence within the occasion that the membership advances. By leaving him off the NLCS roster fully, the Dodgers hope to offer Rojas the chance to relaxation up for the World Sequence.
With the Dodgers’ main shortstop now not accessible, Tommy Edman now figures to slip from middle discipline to shortstop regularly. That opens up middle discipline for utility bat Enrique Hernandez, who impressed in the course of the NLDS with a three-for-nine efficiency that included a house run. The sturdy displaying added to Hernandez’s prolonged postseason resume, as he’s a profession .277/.351/.548 hitter in 211 journeys to the plate throughout 75 playoff video games, 64 of which have are available a Dodgers uniform. Kevin Kiermaier and Andy Pages are each on the roster as potential backup choices in middle discipline ought to an harm happen, whereas Mookie Betts, Chris Taylor, and Hernandez himself all have expertise at shortstop ought to a substitute for Edman be vital at any level in the course of the sequence.
Whereas the Dodgers are shedding a key member of their center infield forward of the sequence, the Mets are returning one among their very own from the injured listing in McNeil. The 32-year-old struggled via a second consecutive down season on the plate this 12 months, posting only a .238/.308/.384 slash line (97 wRC+) in 128 video games earlier than happening the shelf as a result of a fractured wrist in early September. 5 weeks after hitting the injured listing, McNeil now returns to the roster to offer the Mets with a flexible lefty bat able to slotting into second base, third base, and the outfield corners as wanted. Journeyman Jose Iglesias has dealt with the keystone in McNeil’s absence however might sit on the bench for the NLCS after hitting simply .207/.233/.207 in 30 journeys to the plate throughout seven video games this postseason. Rookie Luisangel Acuna can also be on the postseason roster as a center infield possibility however has primarily discovered utilization as a defensive substitute so far within the membership’s playoff run.
The addition of McNeil’s lefty bat to the lineup could possibly be notably invaluable for the Mets given the Dodgers’ lack of Vesia. Supervisor Dave Roberts instructed reporters yesterday that Vesia was unlikely to make the NLCS roster as a result of an intercostal harm, and that eventuality has now come to move. Whereas Roberts floated the potential of right-hander Tony Gonsolin (who missed the whole 2024 common season whereas rehabbing Tommy John surgical procedure) changing Vesia on the membership’s NLCS roster, plainly L.A. in the end determined to show to Honeywell relatively than lean on Gonsolin to get postseason outs in his first massive league look in over a 12 months. The 29-year-old Honeywell has posted a stable 2.63 ERA in 37 2/3 innings of labor for the Pirates and Dodgers this 12 months regardless of a lackluster 4.28 FIP and figures to offer L.A. with a much-needed multi-inning possibility because the membership weighs the potential of a number of bullpen video games in the course of the course of the seven-game sequence.
