The Los Angeles Dodgers added veteran outfielder Kevin Kiermaier and right-hander Brent Honeywell Jr. to their National League Championship Series roster on Sunday.
The NLDS between the New York Mets and Dodgers begins Sunday night in Los Angeles.
Kiermaier and Honeywell are injury replacements for shortstop Miguel Rojas and left-hander Alex Vesia.
Vesia left Game 5 of the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres while taking his warm-up pitches before the eighth inning. Manager Dave Roberts said Vesia was dealing with an injury to the intercostal area, the muscles that are situated between the ribs.
“We just didn’t feel it was even a possibility for Alex to pitch this series,” Roberts said. “I think he’s still in play if we are fortunate enough to get to the World Series.”
Anthony Banda will be the only left-hander available to Roberts. although right-hander Michael Kopech has been effective against left-handed hitters.
Rojas was limited in the NLDS because of a torn left adductor muscle that he aggravated during the final homestand of the regular season. He had been playing through groin discomfort in September.
“It was one of those things that, we felt like, all we would do is set it back even more and have him not necessarily help us in this round,” said Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, who was hopeful of Rojas’ return in a potential World Series appearance.
The Dodgers acquired Kiermaier, 34, from the Toronto Blue Jays at the trade deadline in July. He appeared in 34 games but had only 59 at-bats, hitting .203 with a home run, eight RBIs and seven runs.
A four-time Gold Glove winner, Kiermaier is expected to be used as a defensive replacement and gives the outfield some depth with Tommy Edman moving from center field to shortstop in Rojas’ absence.
Honeywell, 29, was picked up off waivers in July from the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was 1-1 with a 2.62 ERA in 18 games (one start) in 34 1/3 innings.
The Los Angeles pitching staff also includes right-hander Ben Casparius, who replaced right-hander Michael Grove during the NLDS, as well as right-hander Edgardo Henriquez, who has just three games of regular-season experience and made one appearance in the NLDS.
The Dodgers are carrying 13 pitchers and 13 position players on their NLCS roster.
–Field Level Media
