The Dodgers made their NLCS roster choices with a clear shift from the last round, and the biggest change is in the numbers. Los Angeles will carry 13 position players and 13 pitchers for its National League Championship Series matchup with the Milwaukee Brewers, moving away from the 14-and-12 split it used in the NL Division Series.
That extra arm means Hyeseong Kim is out this time. Kim was on the NLDS roster as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement, but he’ll sit this one out after appearing only once in the last series, when he came in defensively in Game 4.
Miguel Rojas, meanwhile, is officially in despite the back injury that knocked him out of Game 3 of the NLDS and kept him unavailable for Game 4. He got a cortisone injection this week and feels well enough to be on the roster, which also means he’s available to play if needed.
Rojas is not expected to start either of the first two games, with Milwaukee sending right-handed pitchers to the mound. Even so, he remains a possible pinch-hitting option against a lefty and a defensive replacement later in games.
The additional pitcher the Dodgers wanted is left-hander Justin Wrobleski, who was not included on the NLDS roster. Manager Dave Roberts said earlier this week the club was planning to carry another pitcher, and explained the priority was adding someone who could cover multiple innings.
"I think that length, having a guy that can go two or three [innings], is something where you essentially protect downside on the pitching," he said on Saturday. "As far as handedness, they're pretty balanced.
So that really doesn't come into play. I think for us it's more of who can take down a couple innings if something in a medium to lower leverage situation."
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