LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers are flying to Atlanta but first held a morning workout at Dodger Stadium. The big news was Andre Ethier rejoining the team after four days of simulated at-bats at Camelback Ranch in Arizona, but there were other ancillary notes as well.
Ethier's roster status for the NLDS remains in question, though he will likely be limited to pinch hitting duty at first if he does make the roster.
The rest of the roster has some questions, but we likely won't know much until closer to Thursday morning's 7 a.m. PT deadline to turn in rosters.
Jerry Hairston has a sore back that put him out of action for the final three games of the regular season. But his roster status could be in question, even if his back is healthy. Hairston hit just .211/.265/.275 on the season and finished with a 3-for-46 slump.
"That's part of the equation, how he's swung the bat. It's been parts of our conversations with the roster, trying to make the best decisions," manager Don Mattingly said. "There will be some guys that aren't on the roster who have been a part of what we've done this year"
Nick Punto has an ingrown toenail on his right foot that kept him out of action over the weekend as well, but he is said to be fine now and participated in the full workout on Tuesday. Mattingly said Punto should be good to go for the NLDS.
We know Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke will start Games 1 and 2, and that Hyun-Jin Ryu is a lock for Game 3, but nothing has been made official by the Dodgers just yet. I asked Mattingly if he was willing to name a fourth starter yet, and he played coy.
"I don't think we've named a third starter yet," Mattingly said. "I haven't hear the Braves name anyone yet. They didn't name any of their guys so I'm not going to name any of mine."
Kenley Jansen pitched more than one inning in nine of his 75 appearances this season, but may do so more frequently in the postseason, perhaps entering more save situations in the eighth inning instead of the ninth.
"The game will dictate what you do. You try not to use Kenley for more than three outs, for the most part," Mattingly said. "But do you think differently in the postseason? Probably."
Clayton Kershaw may have led the major leagues in ERA (again), but he didn't lead his team. I asked Skip Schumaker, whose two scoreless innings topped the Dodgers staff, if he received any sort of recognition for leading the team in ERA.
"No, they haven't given me anything yet," Schumaker joked. "I barely beat Kershaw."
Schumaker, who grew up in and still lives in Orange County, grew up a Dodgers fan, and is excited to play in the postseason for them.
"I was eight years old watching the 1988 World Series championship run," he said. "I remember following it, had a great time following it, and hope it happens again."