The Los Angeles Dodgers have released its roster for the upcoming World Series, and one notable name was omitted from the list.
Reliever Evan Phillips, one of the most important arms in the Dodgers’ celebrated bullpen, will miss the World Series tilt against the New York Yankees.
Phillips, who had a 3.62 ERA this season and appeared in the third-most games for the Dodgers’ pitching staff, has been dealing with arm fatigue and was unable to return to the mound in his most recent outing against the New York Mets in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series.
The 30-year-old right-hander struggled in September but found his groove during the postseason, picking up two wins in relief without giving up a single earned run — he’s never yielded an earned run in any of his postseason appearances for the Dodgers.
He was replaced on the Dodgers’ World Series roster by Brusdar Graterol, himself a trusted bullpen arm who’s struggled with injuries throughout the season. Graterol appeared in only seven games this season as he dealt with shoulder and hamstring injuries.
The loss of Phillips and uncertainty about Graterol’s effectiveness is a significant blow to a Dodgers team that has dealt with one of the most injured pitching staffs in all of baseball this season.
The team lost starting pitchers Tyler Glasnow, Gavin Stone, River Ryan and Clayton Kershaw for the season and have been without roster mainstays Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May all season.
Presumptive MVP Shohei Ohtani, who many might forget is also an ace pitcher in his own right, has been strategically kept off the mound all season as he recovers from elbow surgery.
In the wake of the devastation to the starting rotation, manager Dave Roberts has leaned heavily on his bullpen to eat innings and keep opposing batters from finding a rhythm. Phillips has been one of Roberts’ go-to arms this season and has appeared in nearly 200 games for the Dodgers since joining the team in 2021.
In a piece of good news for the Dodgers’ bullpen, southpaw Alex Vesia, arguably the team’s No. 1 reliever, has been added to the World Series roster after missing the NLCS with a rib injury.
In the infield, the Dodgers will also have beloved clubhouse veteran Miguel Rojas back for the Fall Classic.
The Dodgers take on the Yankees in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series Friday night at Dodger Stadium.
