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.

3. Hanser Alberto

Hanser Alberto has been really good at two things for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2022. He’s been a great clubhouse presence, taking over the reins of being the goofball in the clubhouse that lightens up the mood. He’s also been an elite mop-up closer, as there are not many position players in baseball that have the pitching numbers that Alberto does.

As far as being productive at the plate, though, Alberto has not done much of that. In fact, you can make the case that Alberto has been the least productive bat that has consistently been on the Dodgers roster this season.

While he has also been heating up in recent weeks, his overall numbers still haven’t been great. Alberto has a 69 OPS+ (meaning he is 31% below league average), which only beats out Austin Barnes for the worst OPS+ on the roster.

Alberto isn’t even adding much value as a right-handed bat to hit southpaws — he only has a .659 OPS against left-handed pitching this season. With the surprising additions of Joey Gallo and, more importantly, Trayce Thompson, it’s much easier to ax Alberto from the postseason roster.

If I had to guess, I’d say that Alberto gets the ‘ol phantom IL treatment that will allow him to stay on the team but not take up a roster spot in the closing weeks of the season. Remember that trick with Chase Utley?

However, if the Dodgers want to keep his right-handed bat around, there’s another option to potentially part with …

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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