4 Dodgers who could get axed from 2022 playoff roster (as of August)

The Los Angeles Dodgers are blazing through the summer months as they establish themselves as the best team in baseball that could end up challenging for the all-time win total. There are very few holes on this roster, which has Dodgers fans primed for a World Series run.

As we all know, the best team does not always win, especially in baseball where parity is unrivaled and hot teams rule October. That said, to ensure the Dodgers are the hottest team when it matters most, management is going to have to make some tough cuts for the postseason roster.

Of course, there’s always the possibility of someone getting hurt before the playoffs (knock on wood) that would open the door for someone else. But as it stands right now in August, there are three Dodgers who are on the outside looking in.

Things could obviously change, but if the playoffs were starting tomorrow, the front office and manager Dave Roberts would have some very difficult decisions on their hands.

3 Dodgers who could be axed from the 2022 playoff roster

4. Phil Bickford

Phil Bickford has gone from 2021 surprise standout to the odd man out in the Dodgers bullpen. Los Angeles has very few holes in the bullpen as we head into September and is expected to get more reinforcements with big arms getting healthy.

It’s just hard to find a spot for Bickford after how he has pitched this season. To be fair to Bickford, he’s actually turned it around and pitched really well in his last several outings. However, it’s probably too little, too late as there’s too much evidence against him thus far.

Even with the hot stretch recently, Bickford still has an ERA that well over 4.0 and is too home run-prone — he’s one of only 22 relievers in the sport to allow eight or more home runs this season. That can’t be a liability carried into October.

2. Edwin Rios

Edwin Rios is currently not on the Dodgers roster as he’s been out since June with a hamstring strain. He’s been playing with Triple-A OKC on a rehab assignment that has lasted 17 games and he has fared quite well, slashing .277/.368/.446 with two home runs and five doubles.

As it stands right now, Rios probably has the advantage over Alberto, and if he were to make the playoff roster he would likely keep Alberto’s spot. However, with the Dodgers being so left-handed heavy, the team might instead play the matchups and keep Alberto on the roster instead.

With the addition of Gallo, there’s much less of a need for a boom-or-bust left-handed bat like Rios. It would be one thing if Gallo were to fall flat on his face in LA, but with him swinging the bat well, Rios’ chances are shrinking.

Rios will absolutely get the call back up to the big leagues and will be given his chance to win out a roster spot. If he returns to the big-league club and starts torching the baseball, then it’s going to be impossible to deny him a roster spot, left-handed or not.

However, if he comes up and struggles mightily, then the Dodgers might just have the answer handed to them.

1. Craig Kimbrel

Craig Kimbrel has been really bad for the Los Angeles Dodgers this season and it’s safe to say that every Dodger fan wants to see someone else pitch the ninth inning. Even when Kimbrel doesn’t allow a run, it’s been a tightrope act for him more times than not. That will only get worse in October when the stakes are higher.

Considering Kimbrel has literally been the second-worst member of the bullpen (only ahead of Bickford), him missing the playoff roster altogether should not be completely ruled out. It would be one thing if the team didn’t have other options for the bullpen, but they do with players returning.

Let’s just assume Brusdar Graterol takes Bickford’s spot on the roster then Clayton Kershaw takes Ryan Pepiot’s spot on the roster. With Blake Treinen potentially returning, whose spot is he going to take?

David Price would have been the answer four months ago, but he’s pitched far too well to keep him off the playoff roster, even if the team moves a starter or two to the bullpen. Heck, even Yency Almonte has a case to make the postseason roster over Kimbrel.

It’s going to take a lot of ego swallowing for the Dodgers to make this decision after they traded AJ Pollock for Kimbrel and agreed to pay all of his $16 million salary … but at the end of the day, if the team is healthy and the front office is trying to build the best possible roster, Kimbrel cannot be on it if his poor play continues.

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