With Game 1 of the Fall Classic scheduled to begin tonight at 7:08 p.m. CT, the Dodgers have officially announced their World Series roster. While 23 of the 26 players on the NLCS roster remain for the World Series, the team made three substitutions. Right-handed pitcher Brusdar GraterolLeft-handed pitcher Alex Vesiaand infielder Miguel Rojas were added to the roster while right-handed pitchers Evan Phillips And Edgardo Henriquez and outfielder Kevin Kiermaier were omitted.

Rojas had an excellent regular season for the Dodgers but has been dealing with a partial adductor tear since late September. He played in the NLDS, going 2-for-8 in three games, but was left off the NLCS roster after his injury re-aggravated. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters yesterday that Rojas will likely be added to the World Series roster. With Rojas back in action, Roberts will have more flexibility Tommy Edman, Chris TaylorAnd Enrique Hernandez in the outfield, so Kiermaier was the underdog. Kiermaier was not on the NLDS roster, but joined the team in the NLCS in place of Rojas.

As for Graterol and Vesia, their inclusion in the squad is more of a pleasant surprise. Roberts wasn’t so sure about their status when he spoke to the media on Thursday, but apparently the team has since decided that both are ready to return.

Graterol struggled with injuries for most of the year and was unable to play in either the NLDS or NLCS. However, he was one of LA’s best relievers in 2022-23 and has a career 1.64 ERA in 22 postseason games. When he’s back to full strength, he should be a huge improvement to the Dodgers’ arm stable. The same goes for Vesia, who has quietly been one of the best relievers in baseball since joining the Dodgers. In 227 appearances for the club, he has a 2.57 ERA – plus a 1.50 ERA in 15 postseason games. Vesia pitched in the NLDS against the Padres but suffered a minor intercostal injury in Game 5. His return will be especially important considering the Dodgers were down to just one left-handed pitcher on their entire pitching staff during the NLCS. He will certainly play a crucial role against some of the dangerous lefties in the Yankees lineup.

Phillips and Henriquez come on for Graterol and Vesia. Phillips struggled at times in the second half and appeared to lose his job as the Dodgers’ primary closer in the process. Nonetheless, the loss of the right-hander is a major blow for LA. Even in a season of ups and downs, Phillips finished 61 games with a SIERA of 3.62 and 3.15. He also played five scoreless games in this year’s playoffs; He has yet to allow a run in 15 1/3 career postseason innings. Unfortunately, the arm fatigue he felt in Game 6 of the NLCS (according to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times) appears to continue to be an issue. The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya also notes that Phillips has been suffering from “lat, biceps and triceps tightness” for about a month, so it’s not hard to see why the Dodgers would exercise caution. It’s also worth noting how POBO Andrew Friedman told reporters that the Dodgers couldn’t have cut Phillips from the roster midway through the series if his injury had worsened, as it was a pre-existing condition (according to Harris).

As for Henriquez, the hard-throwing rookie was lucky enough to be named to the NLDS and NLCS rosters after throwing just 3 1/3 innings in the regular season. In his first taste of baseball in October, he gave up four earned runs on eight hits in five innings. It’s hardly surprising that he’s left out of the squad now that Graterol and Vesia are available again.

The full list:

• Right-handed pitcher: Ryan Brasier, Walker Buhler, Ben Casparius, Jack FlahertyBrusdar Graterol, Brent Honeywell Jr., Daniel Hudson, Landon Knack, Michael Kopech, Blake Treinen, Yoshinobu Yamamoto
• Left-handed pitcher: Anthony BandaAlex Vesia
• Catcher: Austin Barnes, Will Smith
• Infielder: Freddie Freeman, Gavin Lux, Max MuncyMiguel Rojas
• Outfielder: Teoscar Hernandez, Andy Pages
• Infielder/Outfielder: Mookie BettsTommy Edman, Chris Taylor, Enrique Hernandez
• Designated hitter: Shohei Ohtani