The Dodgers have announced their 25-man NLDS roster, which will kick off with Walker Buehler facing Nationals lefty Patrick Corbin in Los Angeles tonight. They’ll carry a total of 12 pitchers and 13 position players. Here’s the full breakdown:
Right-handed pitchers
- Pedro Baez
- Walker Buehler (Game 1 starter)
- Kenley Jansen
- Joe Kelly
- Kenta Maeda
- Dustin May
- Ross Stripling
Left-handed pitchers
Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
With the Dodgers more than perhaps any other team, the classification of “infielders” and “outfielders” is somewhat subjective. The Los Angeles organization has compiled an enviable collection of defensively versatile players, leaving manager Dave Roberts ample opportunity for creative lineup construction and in-game maneuvers. Each of Hernandez, Bellinger and Taylor, in particular, could be utilized in the infield or in the outfield — with Taylor and Hernandez both capable of playing nearly any spot on the roster.
Smith’s emergence as the team’s primary option behind the plate, paired with the veteran Martin’s still-excellent defensive skills, pushed Opening Day catcher Austin Barnes off the postseason roster. Martin is set to become a free agent at season’s end, meaning Barnes could be back in the fold as a backup option to Smith next year, but Smith’s .253/.337/.571 batting line and 15 home runs through his first 196 big league plate appearances point to him being the top option moving forward.
On the pitching side of the coin, the omission of impressive rookie right-hander Tony Gonsolin will come as a surprise to some. The 25-year-old debuted with great success this past season, pitching a total of 40 innings with a 2.93 ERA and a 37-to-15 K/BB ratio. But the Dodgers opted to carry May, another impressive rookie, and the veteran swingman Stripling to round out their collection of right-handed arms.
Kolarek, meanwhile, was an under-the-radar deadline pickup who thrived in a brief sample with the Dodgers. The former Tampa Bay Ray allowed just a run on nine hits and two walks with nine strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings with the Dodgers, but even beyond that 0.77 ERA, the most eye-catching number he posted was a ridiculous 73.5 percent ground-ball rate as a Dodger. In all, he’s totaled 55 innings in the Majors this year and compiled a 3.27 ERA with 7.4 K/9, 2.6 BB/9 and a 66.3 percent grounder rate while holding opposing lefties to a pathetic .178/.221/.262 batting line.
Would of liked to see Gonsolin on there. Not surprised to see Barnes left off,since he will be gone after the season is over anyway.
Barnes is the backup catcher unless some other team really wants to pay market value for him. Will give LAD best catching duo in MLB.
Dodgers have Keibert Ruiz coming up next year. They don’t really need Austin Barnes.
Possibly. It depends on how Ruiz progresses and if they want to keep him playing regularly. They won’t call him up just so he can sit on the bench at least two out of three days.
It’d be easy to see Roberts splitting time 50/50 between Smith & Ruiz at some point next season.
Catching is the number one knowledge position in the game. Ruiz is only 21 and hasn’t played above AA yet. Consider how they handled Lux. He was hitting gangbusters in the minors but they kept him there right through to September so he could continue to play every day and round out his game. They won’t rush Ruiz either because they don’t have to. Unless they sign another backup to a one-year, Barnes probably has a job for a few months at least.
Well he had a cup of coffee with OKC this season, but obviously the injury cut his season short. The main issue is the bat is ahead of the glove, which has been the case in his early career. The tools are there on both ends, but development probably leads him a year away. The Dodgers don’t need to rush him nor will they. The bat is contact oriented with power in there that he showed a bit at AA that needs to show more consistently. I don’t think we see him much at all in 2020, beyond a few ABs/a start here and there in Sept. If we do, it’s because something went terribly wrong or he has taken significant leaps/bounds and Smith left a door open.
Really wanted to see Gonsolin make it but his control just wasnt there at the end of September
only way barnes is a back up in 2020 is if there is not any available aaa catcher who impresses in spring training. could see him maybe going to san fran to allow posey to play first or to a team that needs a catcher to work with a pitching staff .
Barnes undoubtedly will be Smith’s backup. The staff loves throwing to him, and he has no TV. The Dodgers aren’t going two young Cs out of ST. Plus as deep as there system is in C prospects, they aren’t going to give away a viable piece of that depth that can be a serviceable piece should injury or a sophomore slump befall Smith.
I won’t be surprised if Hill goes back on IL again and Gonsolin gets added by the NL Championship series.
Agreed that Gonsolin can make the NLCS, but I see it as a Stripling replacement. I’m really rooting for Hill not to return to the IL…
I believe Matt Beaty can and did play LF as well, but Kiké Hernandez and Chris Taylor play all over the place. Beaty mostly plays 1B/3B these days.
I believe Matt Beaty can and did play LF as well at times, but Kiké Hernandez and Chris Taylor play all over the place. Beaty mostly plays 1B/3B these days.
He has played nearly as many games in the outfield as the infield this season.
Wrong Will Smith link
What? No Jedd Gyorko??
I’m sure he’s still the same old Jedd Gyorko to his wife and kids.
Beat LA
Their bullpen arms that cost them the most games this year are not there….Floro, Ferguson and Garcia.