Will Smith makes the roster for Dodgers wild-card

Despite lacking the last three weeks of the season with a fracture in his proper hand, catcher Will Smith was included on the Dodgers’ roster for their best-of-three wild card collection against the Cincinnati Reds this week, the staff announced forward of Game 1 on Tuesday.

It was not immediately clear if Smith would have the option to start Game 1 at Dodger Stadium. Ben Rortvedt was also on the roster, and is predicted to start behind the plate if Smith can’t go.

Still, even having Smith’s presence as a potential pinch-hitter might be a boon for the staff, which was bracing to start the playoffs without the two-time All-Star before he made late progress this week in his recovery from his hand injury.

Max Muncy and Tommy Edman, who both missed time last week with minor accidents, have been also on the roster as anticipated.

The other big development from Tuesday’s roster announcement was the absence of outfielder Michael Conforto, the $17-million offseason signing who struggled mightily for a lot of the common season but had continued to get taking part in time through the end of the schedule.

Conforto hit only .199 this season, the lowest mark of any hitter with 450 plate appearances. He also managed just 12 home runs (a full-season career-low), 36 RBIs and struck out 121 occasions (albeit while drawing 56 walks and preserving his on-base-percentage above .300).

Conforto did end the season better, batting .228 with a .678 OPS after July 1 and going 15-for-61 (.246 average) in September. As a left-handed hitter, he also appeared to have potential worth off the bench.

However, the Dodgers elected to roster commerce deadline acquisition Alex Call and defensive specialist Justin Dean (who completed the season in the minors) on their wild card roster. They also stored infielder Hyeseong Kim, who is a velocity risk but has been equally inconsistent from the left facet of the plate down the stretch.

There have been few surprises among the Dodgers’ pitching workers, which included only 11 arms (not including two-way participant Shohei Ohtani) for this abbreviated opening-round collection.

Rookie phenom Roki Sasaki, who returned from a shoulder injury and impressed in two late-season reduction appearances, was on the roster as supervisor Dave Roberts had hinted the day before.

So too have been right-handed veteran Blake Treinen and embattled left-handed nearer Tanner Scott, who have been major disappointments in late-inning roles this yr but flashed some enchancment in the closing days of the common season.

The relaxation of the Dodgers’ bullpen consists of transformed right-handed starters Tyler Glasnow (who will doubtless return to the rotation if the staff advances to the division collection) and Emmet Sheehan, hard-throwing rookie right-hander Edgardo Henriquez, and three other left-handed choices in addition to Scott: Alex Vesia, Jack Dreyer and Justin Wrobleski.

Anthony Banda was the only snub from the staff’s regular-season roster. Clayton Kerhsaw was also left off the roster as anticipated, but may have a position in future rounds if the Dodgers advance.