Wild Card Series Rosters for Other NL Central Clubs

BREWERS

PITCHERS (12)

Ray Black, Alex Claudio (L), Josh Hader (L), Adrian Houser, Corey Knebel, Freddy Peralta, Drew Rasmussen, Brent Suter (L), Justin Topa, Brandon Woodruff, Eric Yardley

POSITION PLAYERS (16)

Catchers (3): David Freitas, Omar Narvaez (L), Jacob Nottingham

Infielders (8): Orlando Arcia, Jedd Gyorko, Ryon Healy, Keston Hiura, Jace Peterson (L), Eric Sogard (L), Luis Urias, Daniel Vogelbach (L)

Outfielders (5): Ryan Braun, Ben Gamel (L), Avisail Garcia, Tyrone Taylor, Christian Yelich (L)

*Like the Padres, the Brewers were snakebit with their pitching staff. They lost starters Corbin Burnes and Brett Anderson and reliever Devin Williams, all as a a result of injuries sustained in the season-ending series against the Cardinals. Burnes, one of the best starters in all of baseball this year, went down with an oblique injury on September 24th. Anderson had to leave his start on September 27th with a blister. Williams was surprisingly announced yesterday as having shoulder soreness, and the Brewers will sorely miss his 53% strikeout rate in the late innings.

*The changes from the club’s last regular season game were to drop Brett Anderson and Corbin Burnes and add third catcher David Freitas and outfielder Ben Gamel. Frietas was optioned way back before the transaction freeze in March and has not seen any action with the big club this year. It was thought Gamel might miss the playoffs when he was put on the IL with a quad injury on September 20th, but he has been brought back as an outfield option and lefty off the bench.

*The club went with lefty Brent Suter and a bullpen game for Game 1, and looks to start Brandon Woodruff for Game 2. Candidates for Game 3, if necessary, include Josh Lindblom and Adrian Houser. The rotation lined up for Suter and Woodruff each to get 4 days of rest.

CUBS

PITCHERS (13)

Jason Adam, Adbert Alzolay, Andrew Chafin (L), Yu Darvish, Kyle Hendricks, Jeremy Jeffress, Craig Kimbrel, Jon Lester (L), Alec Mills, Jose Quintana (L), Kyle Ryan (L), Ryan Tepera, Dan Winkler

POSITION PLAYERS (15)

Catchers (3): Victor Caratini (S), Willson Contreras, Josh Phegley

Infielders (7): Javier Baez, David Bote, Kris Bryant, Nico Hoerner, Jason Kipnis (L), Anthony Rizzo (L), Ildemaro Vargas (S)

Outfielders (5): Billy Hamilton (S), Ian Happ (S), Jason Heyward, Cameron Maybin, Kyle Schwarber (L)

*The cubs gave their stud left-handed prospect Brailyn Marquez a last-game audition, but decided to drop him in favor of 3rd catcher Josh Phegley. Phegley had already been outrighted off of the 40-man roster earlier in the season, and the club just repurchased his contract yesterday to add him. In order to make room for him on the 40-man roster, the club DFAd LHP Josh Osich, a trade deadline acquisition from the Red Sox. Reliever Duane Underwood, Jr. was left off of the roster so that switch-hitting Ildemaro Varas could be added after his activation from the injured list. Jose Martinez, another trade deadline acquisition, was optioned on September 25th, and thus was not eligible as I understand the way the rules are being interpreted. Even if he was eligible, he was left off of the postseason roster.

*Kyle Hendricks pitched Game 1. Yu Darvish will work in Game 2, with lefty Jon Lester in Game 3, if necessary.

REDS

PITCHERS (12)

Tejay Antone, Trevor Bauer, Archie Bradley, Luis Castillo, Amir Garrett (L), Sonny Gray, Raisel Iglesias, Michael Lorenzen, Tyler Mahle, Wade Miley (L), Lucas Sims, Robert Stephenson

POSITION PLAYERS (16)

Catchers (2): Tucker Barnhart (L), Curt Casali

Infielders (7): Matt Davidson, Kyle Farmer, Freddy Galvis (S), Jose Garcia, Mike Moustakas (L), Eugenio Suarez, Joey Votto (L)

Outfielders (7): Shogo Akiyama (L), Aristides Aquino, Nick Castellanos, Brian Goodwin (L), Travis Jankowski (L), Nick Senzel, Jesse Winker (L)

*With confidence in their 3 starters, Trevor Bauer (Game 1), Luis Castillo (Game 2) and Sonny Gray (Game 3 if necessary), the club felt comfortable taking only 9 relievers. Starter Anthony DeSclafani was left off of the roster. Neither DeSclafini, Tyler Mahle nor Wade Miley have much bullpen experience, but Mahle has pitched much better than DeSclafani this season, and if they had not carried Miley, Amir Garrett would have been the only lefty in the pen. Reliever Sal Romano, who was only added for the last two weeks of the season, was also left off of the roster.

*The Reds re-purchased the contract of Matt Davidson yesterday to add him back to the 40-man roster and put him on the roster for this series. He was outrighted off of the 40-man after being DFAd on September 8th. The Reds had only 39 players on the 40-man roster after the DFA of Nate Jones last week. Davidson will be used as a left-handed pinch hitter or DH. Travis Jankowski was the other addition to the postseason roster, and he will be used as a pinch runner or defensive replacement in the outfield.