Friday, October 25, 2024
Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2024
The Los Angeles Dodgers announced their World Series roster. They gained Miguel Rojas, Alex Vesia, and Brusdar Graterol but lost Evan Phillips to an unspecified arm injury.
Rojas is going to have sports hernia surgery after the World Series. Though Tommy Edman played a fabulous shortstop, Rojas, 35, wants to appear in a World Series during his major league career. I don’t think Rojas will play much in the World Series.
Kevin Kiermaier was left off the roster, but he didn’t play much in the NLCS.
Losing Evan Phillips is huge. Although he lost his closing job around the All-Star break, he still was a gigantic part of the Dodger bullpen. Dave Roberts trusted Phillips in the biggest moments of the game. The Dodgers don’t have anyone to replace Phillips.
Brusdar Graterol has not pitched much in the 2024 season because of right shoulder and hamstring injuries. When he pitched, he performed well. In previous postseasons, Graterol performed outstandingly and had a slow beat. The Dodgers hope Graterol can capture his magic in the past.
Alex Vesia, returning from an intercostal injury that forced him to miss the NLCS, is crucial in the World Series. The New York Yankees have Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo, good left-handed hitters, and Vesia needs to neutralize them. Is Vesia completely healthy? No, but no player is completely healthy. Can Vesia be effective? He and the Dodgers hope so.
The Dodgers have dealt with injuries throughout the 2024 season. They will deal with Phillips’ loss and find another player who will fill Phillips’ role.
