After a week of speculation, the Philadelphia Phillies have finalized their National League Division Series roster against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team announced their 26-man roster Saturday morning ahead of Game 1 at Citizens Bank Park.
Most of the roster choices were straightforward, but there had been uncertainty surrounding the bullpen composition and final bench spots. Manager Rob Thomson has now provided clarity on those decisions.
Phillies’ NLDS roster bullpen decisions could be a gamble
The bullpen was always the biggest area of uncertainty, and it quickly became the focal point of the Phillies’ NLDS roster decisions. As expected, they are carrying 12 pitchers against the Dodgers, giving Rob Thomson and his staff a lot of options to sort through.
Right-handers Jhoan Duran, Orion Kerkering, and David Robertson were locks, as were lefties Matt Strahm and Tanner Banks. The intrigue came in filling the last four spots.
Veteran Aaron Nola made the roster, though it’s unclear how he’ll be used since he has never pitched out of the bullpen. While he’s open to the role, it remains to be seen whether Thomson will deploy him that way or has another plan in mind.
Another addition is left-hander Tim Mayza, who gives the Phillies a third southpaw to match up against the Dodgers’ lefty-heavy core of Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Max Muncy. Mayza had limited work this season but held lefties to a .200/.259/.240 line with a 33.3% strikeout rate in seven innings.
The bigger risks are right-handers Walker Buehler and Taijuan Walker. Buehler, who joined the team on Aug. 31, impressed in three outings and could serve as a long reliever. Walker’s selection, however, is more puzzling. After a bounce-back from his rough 2024 season, he still posted a 6.14 ERA in September over 22 innings, mostly as a starter, despite finishing the year with a 4.08 ERA. His inclusion seems as much about rewarding perseverance as performance.
That decision leaves Lou Trivino off the roster. The Pennsylvania native delivered a 2.00 ERA in nine innings since his Aug. 27 call-up and owns an excellent postseason track record, with a 0.96 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 9 1/3 innings.
How and if Walker gets used remains to be seen. He was on the postseason roster in 2023 but never pitched. The Phillies will hope leaving out Trivino and his playoff experience doesn’t come back to haunt them.
Phillies’ NLDS roster includes all the stars fans expect
The Phillies’ starting rotation was largely set before the roster dropped, with lefty ace Cristopher Sánchez getting the Game 1 start at 6:38 p.m. ET. He’ll be followed by fellow southpaws Ranger Suárez and Jesús Luzardo, expected to take the mound in Games 2 and 3.
The infield remains intact with stars like Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto, and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber anchoring the lineup. Alec Bohm holds down third base and Bryson Stott second, though Edmundo Sosa could see some action at second as well.
The biggest uncertainty lies in the outfield. Manager Rob Thomson scaled back Nick Castellanos’ everyday role in the second half, so how he balances the four-man mix will be key. Harrison Bader figures to patrol center, while Brandon Marsh, Max Kepler, and Castellanos rotate through the corner spots.
On the bench, Sosa and likely Castellanos are joined by backup catcher Rafael Marchán, versatile infielder Otto Kemp, and utility outfielder Weston Wilson.
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