3 bold roster moves the Dodgers need to make before NLDS

Coming off the most regular-season wins in franchise history, the Los Angeles Dodgers are ready to make another World Series push to win their eighth championship in franchise history. It doesn’t matter how many games the team won before the postseason, though; all that matters is that they win 11 games in mid-to-late October.

It’s hard to deny the Dodgers as the most talented team in the entire league heading into the playoffs. However, as we know, talent only takes you so far. The Dodgers need to also get hot and it’s Dave Roberts’ job to maximize the roster’s efficiency in order to do that.

The last month or so has been rather pedestrian for the Dodgers as Roberts has been evaluating his team and the options he has. Now, we can definitely say that the team should make certain decisions with its personnel.

Some of these calls won’t be easy, but the Dodgers have enough evidence at this point to be a bit cutthroat if they need to be.

Here are 3 bold roster moves the Dodgers need to make before the NLDS

3. Keep Craig Kimbrel off the postseason roster

Craig Kimbrel was demoted from being the Dodgers closer earlier this month after a bad season in which fans were extremely frustrated with him. Roberts gave Kimbrel every chance in the world to get right but he simply couldn’t, and Roberts had no choice.

If the Dodgers don’t trust Kimbrel in the ninth inning of a regular-season game, then how can they trust him in the middle innings of a close playoff game? If there’s no intention to pitch him in any sort of high-leverage spots, then why even have him on the roster at all?

You could make the case that Kimbrel can be saved for mop-up duty, but it would be better to have someone who could provide more length in that role. The Dodgers need to ensure they are throwing out the best 26 players. Kimbrel is not one of them.