LOS ANGELES – If anyone understands the value of a stolen base at a critical playoff time, it’s Dave Roberts
The Dodgers announced their 28-man roster on Wednesday for the best of three Wild Card Series and include a third receiver (rookie Keibert Ruiz) and running specialist Terrance Gore
Gore was not invited to spring training and spent most of the summer at the Dodgers’ alternative training site He played two games with the Dodgers as a pinch runner, but did not steal a base or score a point His major league career consists of 102 games but only 13 starts on the field He stole 40 goals in 49 attempts plus 5 for 6 in the Kansas City Royals playoffs in 2014 and 2015
« With T-Gore it was more, we have the option of carrying an additional positional player in the short series where we don’t need extra arms (in the bullpen), « said Roberts. » So being able to put it in one spot – minus a run, even – to impact an end, I think. that it is very useful »
Ruiz made his league debut on Aug 16 and hit a home run in his first at bat He played in just two games before returning to the alternative training site His addition allows the Dodgers to use more easily Will Smith at the designated hitter, as they are expected to do in Game 2, when Austin Barnes will likely start with Clayton Kershaw
« If you watch Austin catch tomorrow, if there’s a situation where we don’t like the game and we want someone to hit for him, we always have that extra wide receiver, » said Roberts. » It kind of gives me the flexibility to not overexpose ourselves with the receiver »
Matt Beaty has also been added to the series against the Milwaukee Brewers Beaty has hit 220 in 21 games with the Dodgers this season
To make room for Gore, Ruiz and Beaty the Dodgers won’t be wearing Gavin Lux, Alex Wood or Dylan Floro for the first round
A popular preseason pick to win the National League Rookie of the Year award, Lux arrived late for summer camp for unspecified reasons and was never a factor. didn’t join the active Dodgers roster until late August and the 22-year-old hit 175 in 19 games
The exclusion of Lux and Wood was not surprising, but Floro, a right-hander, had spent the entire season with the Dodgers, appearing in 25 games (third on the team) and going 3-0 with a 259 ERA
« It was very difficult, » said Roberts, calling the decision prompted by clashes with the Brewers « Dylan has the respect of everyone in the organization and he has earned it Often I sit here and I’m talking about the performance, but in this case he finally played and still doesn’t get the chance I look forward to him, shall we move forward, to keep him on the lists in the future
The Brewers also announced their roster for the series Wednesday morning, and it didn’t include two of their best starting pitchers – Corbin Burnes (oblique) and Brett Anderson (blister) – or the Devin Williams pen weapon
Williams developed shoulder pain after his last outing against the St Louis Cardinals on Friday
« He threw on Friday He arrived on Saturday pretty sore, » explained Craig Counsell, director of Brewers « At that point we stopped him So he hadn’t thrown since Friday He played a try yesterday He’s improving, but not to the point that we would consider playing him in a game of major championship
« We were going to lean on these guys (Burnes, Anderson and Williams) to pitch probably up to 50% of the innings in this series. We’ve got some guys who can do it It’s just the next group of guys who have to pitch it. intervene … And they are ready for that »
Williams has been the most dominant pitcher in baseball this season In 27 innings, he allowed just eight hits and one run while striking out 53 of the 100 batters he faced
“It’s really overwhelming, honestly,” Williams said. “It’s a shame the cards turned out this way”
The Dodgers’ decision to wear a third receiver was largely motivated by their commitment to start Barnes at receiver when Kershaw pitch Smith’s offensive emergence means they’ll keep his bat in the lineup for those games in the playing DH
Barnes was behind home plate for nine of Kershaw’s 10 starts this season Kershaw had an 186 ERA in those starts and held opposing hitters to an average 193 In his lone start with Smith behind home plate, Kershaw allowed four stitches in five rounds
“I think Barnes was awesome,” said Kershaw who will start Game 2 on Thursday “I obviously think his skill level speaks for itself behind the plate, his ability to catch baseball, to block the ball. baseball and things like that He is obviously the best in terms of skills
« Yeah, there’s a relationship there I threw at Barney for a long time, just like I threw it at AJ (Ellis) and there are a lot of similarities between the two guys… Will was great too I also loved launching Will and so we are in a great situation »
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Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers, National League, Major League Baseball Playoffs
World News – United States – Dodgers add Terrance Gore and Keibert Ruiz to the Wild Card Series list, let Gavin Lux and Dylan Floro
