Dodgers place LHP Alex Vesia, RHP Brusdar Graterol on WS roster
The Los Angeles Dodgers welcome back lefty Alex Vesia, righty Brusdar Graterol, and shortstop Miguel Rojas as they announced their World Series roster on Friday ahead of Game 1 against the New York Yankees.
Vesia, 28, suffered a rib injury during Game 5 of the National League Division Series and was not included on the NL Championship Series roster. Graterol, 26, has been dealing with shoulder discomfort and has not yet played in the current postseason.
Rojas, 35, has been battling a groin injury all season and aggravated it during the NLDS, causing him to miss the team's NLCS games.
Notable absences from the Dodgers' NLCS roster include right-handers Edgardo Henriquez and Evan Phillips, as well as outfielder Kevin Kiermaier.
Phillips, who has been a key member of the bullpen with a 3.62 ERA and 18 saves this season, hinted at arm fatigue after the NLCS.
Vesia had a strong season with a 1.76 ERA in 67 innings, bouncing back from a 4.35 ERA in 2023. In his five seasons, he has a 15-11 record with a 2.89 ERA in 232 appearances (one start) for the Miami Marlins (2020) and Dodgers.
Graterol had a 2.45 ERA in just seven appearances this season due to shoulder and hamstring issues. He has a career record of 11-9 with a 2.78 ERA in 188 games (five starts) over six seasons for the Minnesota Twins (2019) and Dodgers.
Rojas stepped up as the Dodgers' everyday shortstop when Mookie Betts was injured in June and continued to hold the position when Betts returned in August. He had a solid season, batting .283 with six home runs, 36 RBIs, and 41 runs scored in 103 games.
Tommy Edman took over at shortstop for the Dodgers and had an impressive performance against the Mets, earning NLCS MVP honors with 11 RBIs.
Over his 11-year career, Rojas has a .260 batting average with 50 home runs and 336 RBIs in 1,182 games for the Dodgers (2014, 2023-24) and Marlins (2015-22).
The Dodgers and Yankees will face off in the first two games of the World Series at Los Angeles on Friday and Saturday before heading to New York for Games 3 and 4, with a potential Game 5 starting on Monday.
