Dodgers NLDS roster: Andy Pages and Edgardo Henriquez included, no Joe Kelly

LOS ANGELES – The Dodgers have decided to abide by Major League Baseball rules and have submitted a roster for their National League Division Series game against the San Diego Padres on Saturday.

Notable on the roster are two rookies who began their seasons in the minor leagues: outfielder Andy Pages and reliever Edgardo Henriquez. It is also notable that Joe Kelly was left out of the squad.

There aren't too many other surprises on the roster, with the mix of position players and pitchers being the main decision. The Dodgers settled on 13 pitchers and 13 position players, which was their allocation for the entire 26-player regular season roster portion.

The Dodgers finished the regular season with 13 active pitchers on the roster, and given recent transactions, there were few options to select others.

Ben Casparius was optioned on September 28th, and Justin Wrobleski was optioned on September 29th. Brusdar Graterol was placed on the injured list on September 26, the same day as Brent Honeywell. The clock didn’t stop for these moves even after the end of the regular season. The injured players must miss at least 15 days, and the only way for an optional pitcher to return before 15 days is to replace a newly injured player or someone on an appropriate list such as paternity leave or the family emergency list.

Tony Gonsolin played in a simulated game at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, but he had Tommy John surgery 13 months ago and has only completed three rehab appearances so far. Adding him would require clearing space on the 40-man roster since he is on the 60-day injured list.

The only other available pitchers on the 40-man roster who were inactive as of Sept. 29 were Zach Logue (the first day the option can be returned is Saturday) and Bobby Miller (the worst with 10 starts All-time ERA of all Dodgers pitchers). in one season) and Michael Grove, who was optioned on September 18.

Grove got the nod after posting a 5.12 ERA and 3.62 xERA in 51 innings in the majors this season. Fourteen of his 39 appearances lasted at least five outs, and he struck out twice in three innings.

Kelly was left out after an up-and-down season in which he posted a 4.78 ERA and 5.07 xERA. Kelly tweaked his shoulder during a simulated game last week.

Henriquez began his season with Low-A Rancho Cucamonga before pitching with all four minor league affiliates before making his major league debut in the final week of the regular season. Henriquez peaked at 103.8 mph this season, the second-highest fastball velocity of any minor in 2024.

Henriquez allowed one run in 3⅓ innings, struck out five of his 14 batters and even recorded a save in his first appearance in the majors. Three major league games for the 22-year-old make Henriquez the least experienced Dodger to be named to the postseason roster since right-hander Ed Albosta in 1941. Albosta started two games and threw a total of 13 innings that season before making Brooklyn's World Series lineup despite not pitching.

Pages began his season in Triple-A after undergoing shoulder surgery last year. He had a long run in the Dodgers outfield from mid-April to late July. His play declined after the trade deadline when the Dodgers signed center fielder Kevin Kiermaier and utility man Tommy Edman, and Pages was optioned to the minors for the final week and a half of August before returning in September.

In the final two months of the season, Pages hit .276.345/.553 with a wRC+ of 149, making the most of limited playing time down the stretch.

“Attitude, preparation, good shots, the attitude of being ready when you need it,” manager Dave Roberts said in the final week of the regular season. “It was a good experience for Andy. The whole year was great for him. And even that kind of playoff atmosphere. That's good.”

Not on the roster is veteran Kiermaier, who has started just three of the Dodgers' last 25 games and was primarily used as a late-inning defensive replacement in center field. Kiermaier dislocated the ring finger of his left hand in the penultimate game of the regular season on Sept. 28 at Coors Field.

The 34-year-old Kiermaier, who plans to retire after this season after 12 years in the majors patrolling center field mostly on grass, hit .197/.237/.313 this season, including .203/.242 /.322 with the Dodgers.

Dodgers NLDS roster

• Starting pitchers (4): Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jack Flaherty, Walker Buehler, Landon Knack
• Right-handed trigger (7): Michael Kopech, Blake Treinen, Evan Phillips, Daniel Hudson, Ryan Brasier, Edgardo Henriquez, Michael Grove
• Left-handed trigger (2): Alex Vesia, Anthony Banda
• Designated hitter (1): Shohei Ohtani
• Catcher (2): Will Smith, Austin Barnes
• Infielders (4): Freddie Freeman, Gavin Lux, Miguel Rojas, Max Muncy
• Outfielder (3): Mookie Betts, Teoscar Hernandez, Andy Pages
• Infielder/Outfielder (3): Tommy Edman, Kiké Hernández, Chris Taylor