3 Dodgers who could be left off NLCS roster as the stakes increase vs Brewers

The Dodgers wrapped up their NLDS with a stunning error from pitcher Orion Kerkering, but they can only revel in that for a few days before they have to get right back to work in the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers, who triumphed over the Chicago Cubs in Game 5 of the NLDS on Saturday night.

We shouldn't expect the NLCS roster to look too different from the NLDS or Wild Card iterations, but there may be a few names to scan for potential exclusion before Game 1 on Monday.

3 Dodgers who could be left off NLCS roster

Blake Treinen

Treinen was warming for the 12th inning in Game 4, but Dodgers fans breathed a sigh of relief when Kerkering ended it before Dave Roberts could make a call to the bullpen. Treinen pitched a clean inning in Game 3, but that was in an 8-2 blowout — hardly an outing that restored any confidence in him, especially after he almost blew Game 1.

Roberts has admitted that he hasn't "been seeing that edge" from Treinen lately, but Roberts' faith in him got him onto the Wild Card and NLDS rosters when he probably shouldn't have been on either at all.

Maybe Roberts will finally do what fans have been begging for when it comes time to assemble his NLCS roster. Kirby Yates hasn't been any better this season, but he is healthy, and anyone would be better than Treinen right now.

Justin Wrobleski

Wrobleski was added to the NLDS roster ahead of Game 4 after Tanner Scott underwent a lower body abscess procedure, but the Dodgers didn't end up calling on him. He was also on the Wild Card roster but didn't get the ball at all against the Reds.

Safe to assume that Roberts would like to use Wrobleski in a similar capacity as he has with Emmet Sheehan so far — for 1-2 inning appearances right behind 6+ from his starters — but Wrobleski's 4.63 ERA in September doesn't put him in the same tier as Sheehan.

Ben Casparius was with the team on taxi during the Wild Card, and he has postseason experience — a 1.42 ERA over 6 1/3 innings last year. Roberts might like the reassurance of having Wrobleski as an extra lefty in reserve, but there could be more effective options overall.

Dalton Rushing

Rushing has seen just one at-bat this postseason, when he pinch hit for Justin Dean in Game 3 and went down swinging. Otherwise, Ben Rortvedt has been starting most games before being replaced by Will Smith in later innings (the Dodgers are still being careful with Smith's recovery from a bone bruise).

It makes sense that they wouldn't want to entrust a rookie with many at-bats, but adding someone like Esteury Ruiz would give the Dodgers significant speed, defense in the outfield, and potentially more of a chance to get a runner on if he receives a few at-bats — Ruiz finished the Triple-A season hot and was named a Pacific Coast League All-Star at the end of the year.

With Smith only at half-power and Rortvedt historically not the best bat, having Rushing as a failsafe makes some sense, but the Dodgers would have more versatility with someone like Ruiz. And the reality is that Rushing hasn't been impactful all year, so why would the Dodgers think that will change in the NLCS?