LA Dodgers Leave Relief Ace Off World Series Roster

One of the LA Dodgers' strengths that allowed them to make it to the World Series was a lock-down bullpen. Unfortunately, they'll head into their championship matchup with the New York Yankees without bullpen ace Evan Phillips. He has been left off their World Series roster.

Evan Phillips is not on the Dodgers' World Series roster. He's been dealing with arm fatigue. This is a surprise.

Alex Vesia and Brusdar Graterol are on the roster.

Miguel Rojas is on the roster and Kevin Kiermaier is not.

Brent Honeywell is on the roster, too.
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) October 25, 2024

Phillips had a rough September, but bounced back with a 6.2 shoutout innings during the Dodgers' playoff run in the NLDS and NLCS. In fact, he's never allowed a run in 15.1 career postseason innings.

But arm fatigue had been starting to set in of late, and per Fabian Ardaya in The Athletic, "According to a person with knowledge of the situation, Phillips has dealt with lat, biceps and triceps tightness for the past month, prompting the organization’s decision not to push the issue."

Phillips, nevertheless, still expected to be on the World Series, so this comes as a surprise.

“Soreness, fatigue, we’re all kind of going through our own individual battles,” Phillips said Thursday afternoon. “Some worse than others." He has recorded 42 saves for LA over the past two seasons.

Losing the right-handed reliever hurts for the Dodgers, as he certainly would have come in handy against the likes of right-handed sluggers Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.

Lefty reliever Alex Vesia, who was not on the NLCS roster, is back in, as is righty Brusdar Graterol, who pitched all of 7 innings during the regular season, and another 3 innings during the ALDS.