SEATTLE — Locked in as the National League’s No. 3 seed with the regular season winding down, the Dodgers have been able to spend the weekend series at T-Mobile Park preparing for the NL Wild Card Series.
That has involved resting their regulars — Shohei Ohtani and Teoscar Hernández sat out of Saturday night’s 5-3 win, while Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman were out the prior game — and taking a critical look at their roster to decide who should make the cut for the postseason.
The Dodgers won’t find out which team — either the Reds or the Mets — will seize the third NL Wild Card spot until after Game 162. That could influence some of their decisions. Here are some of the biggest roster questions facing them before their postseason begins on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium:
Could Tyler Glasnow be available out of the ‘pen?
Friday ended up being a bullpen game, giving L.A. a look at seven arms — including an electric Roki Sasaki — who could be part of the postseason relief picture. Saturday’s starter, Glasnow, had a planned short outing, pitching three scoreless innings and leaving the door open for the Dodgers to carry him on their Wild Card Series roster.
The team has not announced its rotation for the Wild Card Series, but Ohtani, Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are lined up for the three games. If Glasnow makes the roster, he would be used in relief for the first time since he was with the Pirates in 2018.
What’s the latest on Will Smith, and could he make the roster?
Roberts said the other day that he was “hoping,” rather than “hopeful,” that Smith would be available in time for the Wild Card Series. Smith hit foam balls in the cage on Saturday, his first time swinging since imaging revealed he had a hairline fracture in his right hand. The Dodgers could opt to carry three catchers if they feel Smith is close, but time is not on their side.
How about others dealing with lingering injuries?
Tommy Edman (right ankle) and Max Muncy (lower body) are both dealing with some lingering discomfort that has limited their playing time recently. Edman returned to the lineup on Saturday, albeit as the DH, while Muncy has not played since Sept. 24. Both are expected to be ready to go on Tuesday.
