Dodgers Analysis: Changes to the World Series Roster? Who’s in Who’s Out

LOS ANGELES, CA—The Los Angeles Dodgers are back in the World Series for a second consecutive season, and the final team standing in their way of back-to-back championships is the Toronto Blue Jays.

However, with the 26-man roster, there are a few options for changes that the team could make from their previous 26-man roster during the National League Championship Series.

Will Tanner Scott Rejoin the Roster?

Perhaps the biggest question regarding a potential roster move for the Dodgers’ 26-man World Series roster is whether they will include left-handed reliever Tanner Scott.

Scott, 31, inked a massive 4-year, $72 million contract with the Dodgers this offseason to be a lockdown arm for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts late in games, but that was not the case in year one.

Scott was a massive liability for the Dodgers’ bullpen, which saw him lose his high-leverage role after blowing a career-high eleven saves and posting an ERA of 4.74.

Despite this, Scott was still on the Dodgers’ 26-man roster for the National League Wild Card Series against the Cincinnati Reds and the National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Still, he did not make a single appearance out of the Dodgers’ bullpen.

Scott was removed from the NLDS roster before Game Four because of a lower-body procedure, making him ineligible for the NLCS roster, according to Dave Roberts. Nonetheless, Roberts mentioned there was a slight chance Scott might return for the World Series.

I would venture to say that it’s unlikely Scott will return to the Dodgers roster. They already have their left-handed specialists in Anthony Banda and Alex Vesia, with Jack Dreyer and Clayton Kershaw also waiting in the wings.

Could We See Conforto?

Veteran outfielder Michael Conforto has been absent from the Dodgers’ postseason rosters until this point, and that’s for good reason.

Conforto, 32, inked a one-year, $17 million deal with Los Angeles over the winter to be the Dodgers’ full-time left fielder, and the hope was that he’d rebound offensively as Teoscar Hernández did with the team last season.

That was not the case.

Overall, Conforto had one of the worst seasons of his career, hitting .199/.305/.333 with a 79 OPS+ and a -0.7 bWAR. Despite the Dodgers giving him the whole season to correct this, the team had enough and left him off the postseason roster.

Conforto remains with the team as a taxi squad player, taking part in live at-bats and other baseball activities. Recently, he discussed his feelings about missing the postseason with MLB insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

“I am just trying to enjoy this experience and soak it all in and trying to stay ready if they need me in this series or the next one,” Conforto told Heyman.

“But definitely not being on the roster is motivating, so I have some things I have to work on and go into the offseason and take care of those things, and we’ll see what happens.”

However, despite his willingness to return to the Dodgers roster, I don’t expect that to change as the Dodgers value the late-inning defense and speed of Justin Dean and the versatility of rookie Hyeseong Kim, and if the Dodgers were to add an extra position player for a left-handed bat off the bench, they’d likely choose Dalton Rushing over him.

Another RHP for the Bullpen?

Another possible adjustment for the Dodgers roster, revolving around the bullpen, is whether they’ll add an additional right-handed option instead of one of the left-handers seen on the NLCS roster.

Unlike the Phillies and Brewers rosters, the Blue Jays lineup is right-handed-heavy, with most of their lefties being just serviceable hitters and not the elite talents such as Bryce Harper, Christian Yelich, or Kyle Schwarber.

That would mean that one of Justin Wrobleksi or Anthony Banda could be removed from the roster in favor of a right-hander, whether it be Kirby Yates (unlikely) or Will Klein.

Who’s Out?

I believe the Dodgers roster will look identical to the NLCS roster, which looked against the Milwaukee Brewers.

However, if Tanner Scott is added, you’ll likely see lefty Justin Wrobleki removed, as he was Scott’s replacement for the rest of the NLDS and the NLCS due to Scott’s lower-body procedure.

Similarly with Conforoto, if the veteran left-handed hitting outfielder is added, he’d likely replace one of Justin Dean, Hyeseong Kim, or Alex Call as a bat off the bench, but I’d say Conforoto’s Dodgers career is over.

Predictions

Position Players

Catchers (2): Will Smith, Ben Rortvedt

Infielders (3): Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Max Muncy

Outfielders (4): Teoscar Hernández, Andy Pages, Alex Call, Justin Dean

Utility (4): Miguel Rojas, Tommy Edman, Kiké Hernández, Hyeseong Kim

Designated Hitter (1): Shohei Ohtani

Pitching

Starters (4): Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow

Relievers (9): Clayton Kershaw, Anthony Banda, Emmet Sheehan, Justin Wrobleski, Blake Treinen, Roki Sasaki, Alex Vesia, Jack Dreyer, Ben Casparius

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