Dodgers NLCS 2026 Roster: Pitcher Replacing Position Player

The Los Angeles Dodgers predictably chose to carry 14 position players and 12 pitchers on their playoff roster for the National League Division Series, which allowed for the inclusion of Josue De Paula as a pinch-hitter only and Hyeseong Kim in a pinch-runner role.

But with the team back in the NL Championship Series for a third consecutive season and ninth time since 2013, change is expected to come given the best-of-seven format. Most notably, the Dodgers are going to add a pitcher to their staff in lieu of carrying an extra bench player.

“After we get off this call, I’m going to get with the guys and kind of figure out what arm we’re going to add,” manager Dave Roberts said while speaking with reporters during a workout on Friday. “And we have to obviously take off a position player, so, that’s kind of where we’re at with that.”

Candidates for Dodgers’ NLCS roster

The most obvious pitchers who presumably are under consideration to be added onto the roster for the NLCS are Emmet Sheehan and Justin Wrobleski. Both are capable of covering multiple innings at any given point, which is of tremendous value in a longer series.

Sheehan finished on the regular season on a higher note than Wrobleski, who faltered after earning his first career All-Star Game selection. Sheehan is now playoff eligible as the 15-day minimum period passed from when he was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sept. 22.

Regardless of which pitcher the Dodgers ultimately decide to carry, Kim appears to be the likely bench player who would not be active for the NLCS. Though, on the surface there is somewhat of a case for De Paula given the limited pinch-hit opportunities and Dodgers’ preference of not having him play the outfield.

But the Dodgers have shown trust in their top prospect since De Paula made his MLB debut and he drew a key walk after being sent up to bat for Tommy Edman in the seventh inning of Game 4 against the Atlanta Braves. De Paula’s two-out walk kept the inning alive for Andy Pages to deliver a game-winning single.

One wild card is the status of Miguel Rojas, who was not available for the Dodgers’ NLDS-clinching win because of a back injury that forced him to leave Game 3 early. Roberts was optimistic when discussing Rojas’ latest progress but stopped short of declaring he would be on the NLCS roster.