Mike Salas
The bullpen has been one of the biggest stories in the Los Angeles Dodgers postseason run in recent memory. Blake Treinen, Michael Kopech, Evan Phillips, and Rookie Ben Casparius have been solid. After Andrew Friedman’s comment last night during an interview with SportsNet LA, word is starting to leak that Alex Vesia and Brusdar Graterol could be on the 26-man World Series Roster.
So, if Vesia and Graterol do come back, who will be left off the 26-man roster? One name is obvious but there are two players that have not done so well in the NLDS and NLCS that could be left out.
Let’s start with the obvious. Edgardo Henriquez should be replaced by Graterol if he returns. Henriquez has surprised many of us who report on the Dodgers farm system and thought he was not ready for the big stage of playoff baseball. 22-year-old Edgardo has done well filling in for Graterol and making his first 26-man NLDS roster, but if Brusdar is cleared the Dodgers will bring back his World Series experience to play against the Yankees. Henriquez line for the NLDS and NLCS – 3G / 5IP / 8H / 4ER / 2HR / 3BB / 3SO / 7.20ERA / .348AVG / 2.20WHIP. Edgardo some valuable experience and has a very bright future with the Dodgers after a little bit more tweaking.
Now the not so obvious. If Alex Vesia comes back who will be left off the roster? There are two names that come to mind, Ryan Brasier and Landon Knack.
Ryan Brasier has been up and down in the post season with the Red Sox’s and Dodgers. His best year was 2018 when Boston beat the Dodgers in the World Series. Brasier’s post season line was 9G / 8IP / 7H / 1ER / 0HR / 5BB / 7SO / 1.04ERA / .219AVG / 1.38WHIP. With the Dodgers his best outing was 2023 1G / 2IP / 1H / 1ER / 1HR / 0BB / 3SO / 3.86ERA / .143AVG / 0.43WHIP. Brasier has been one of the weakest links in this year’s post season for the Dodgers. His line 6G / 7IP / 7H / 4ER / 3HR / 2BB / 4SO / 5.14ERA / .274AVG / 1.36WHIP.
Landon Knack has been a solid and reliable pitcher for the Dodgers in this injury prone season. His one outing in the post season had to be his worst start since being called in April of this year. In the San Diego series, Knack’s line was 1G / 1IP / 1H / 0ER / 0BB / 1SO / 0.00ERA / .250AVG / 1.00WHIP. The wheels came off in the Mets series, his line was 1G / 2IP / 5H / 5ER / 1HR / 3BB / 2SO / 15.00ERA / .400AVG / 3.00WHIP. This was not the Landon Knack I have been reporting on.
So, when it comes down to it, I feel Ryan Brasier makes the 26-man World Series roster. Brasier has World Series experience and a bit more trust from the Dodgers organization. Knack never got a chance to redeem himself from his horrible start and I think that has hurt his chances to make the roster. In Knack, the Dodgers are giving up a pitcher that will eat innings and Brasier cannot do that.
Alex Vesia time on the IL was felt during the Mets series. The Dodgers didn’t have that left-handed reliever that would spark the team after coming off the mound fired up after a key strikeout that ended an inning. Brusdar’s passion will be welcomed back also and give the bullpen rotation another power arm that has World Series and postseason experience.
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