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The Dodgers kept the same roster for the World Series as they had during the NLCS, carrying 15 pitchers and 13 position players on their 28-player active roster against the Rays.
Game 1 of the World Series starts at 5:09 p.m. PT, with Clayton Kershaw starting for the Dodgers against Tyler Glasnow on the mound for Tampa Bay.
In the best-of-3 wild card series, the Dodgers carried 13 pitchers, then had 14 pitchers in the best-of-five NLDS. For the NLCS, which played out to the maximum seven games in seven days, 15 pitchers were active, and all were used at least twice except for Kershaw, whose planned start was pushed back two days with back spasms.
For the World Series, there are two in-series off days built in — after Games 2 and 5 — which helps alleviate some concerns of overuse and coverage. The Dodgers wrestled with the decision of whether to remove a pitcher in favor of an extra position player.
“Whether it’s 15 pitchers, or do we go 14, that’s kind of the talk,” manager Dave Roberts said on Monday’s World Series media day. “But, staying status quo probably is what I foresee.”
It makes sense the Dodgers didn’t add a position player, considering they barely used Matt Beaty as it was in the NLCS. He only appeared at the end of two blowouts, entering Game 3 up 14 runs and coming in the next day when the Dodgers trailed by five.
Seventeen of the 28 active Dodgers have previous World Series experience, including 15 players in 2017-18 with the Dodgers as well as Mookie Betts and Joe Kelly with the 2018 Red Sox.
Dodgers World Series roster
Pitchers (15): Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Julio Urías*, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May, Kenley Jansen, Blake Treinen, Brusdar Graterol, Pedro Báez, Victor Gonzalez*, Joe Kelly, Jake McGee*, Dylan Floro, Adam Kolarek*, Alex Wood*
(*left-handed)
Catchers (2): Will Smith, Austin Barnes
Infielders (5): Max Muncy, Corey Seager, Justin Turner, Edwin Ríos, Matt Beaty
Outfielders (3): Mookie Betts, A.J. Pollock, Joc Pederson
Infielders/outfielders (3): Cody Bellinger, Chris Taylor, Kiké Hernández