The Los Angeles Dodgers are headed for the playoffs and have another World Series appearance in their sights. The last step in preparation is figuring out who should be on the postseason roster and the recent performance of a few players could keep them off it.
Dodgers playing their way off the postseason roster: 3. Emmet Sheehan
Emmet Sheehan has not earned a spot on the playoff roster. In his little bit of playing time, he has done nothing but disappoint. Sheehan has struggled so badly in the most recent game that he came out of the bullpen instead of staying as a starting pitcher.
He has pitched in 11 games with nine starts, but in that little time, he has struggled massively with an ERA of 5.44. In those games, he pitched 49.2 innings, and his main problem has been that he can't find the strike zone. In those innings, he has thrown 854 pitches, of which 541 were strikes. He has only thrown a strike 63.41 percent of the time showing his struggle. But even at Triple-A, he struggled to find the strike zone. And he is currently giving up nearly seven and a half walks per nine innings.
He started his career off well. In his first three starts, he pitched 17 innings while recording an ERA of 2.65 and going 2-0. In his second month, July, he pitched in four games with one-third more innings but had an ERA of 8.83 and somehow had a record of 1-1. Even when the hitter is ahead, he has an opponent average of .239, but even when it's an even count, he has a lower average at .177.
Dodgers playing their way off the postseason roster: 2. Gavin Stone
At the beginning of the 2023 season, Gavin Stone was ranked the 56th-best prospect in all of baseball. Many expected him to have a huge year, but he has done nothing but struggle.
Since debuting, he has been one of the worst starting pitchers in all of MLB, currently holding an ERA+ of 47, meaning the average pitcher is 53 percent better than him. He has started four games but recently has moved up and down through the minors and the Dodgers' bullpen. In his seven total games in MLB, he has pitched 26.2 innings but currently holds an ERA of 9.45.
Many expected Gavin Stone to dominate as one of the best strikeout pitchers. Since debuting, though, his strikeout rate is half of what it was in Triple-A, meaning he hasn't been able to adjust to MLB hitters. His strikeout rate is at 5.7 per nine innings pitched, but the number of hits he has given up is almost three times higher with a rate of 14.5 per nine innings. In his 26 innings, he has also given up six home runs.
Despite his struggles, he currently holds a record of 1-0. The main cause of his struggles is his 4-seam fastball, which he has thrown 31.2 percent of the time. However, batters have hit .533 off it with a slugging percentage of .933. His fastball has been getting hit so well because he only throws it at an average speed of 94 MPH.
Dodgers playing their way off the postseason roster: 1. Austin Barnes
Austin Barnes has been one of, if not the worst, offensive catchers in MLB. He hasn't started all the games but has played in 55. In that sample size, he has struggled massively. He currently holds an OPS+ of 28, which means the average hitter is 72 percent better than him, or you would need around four of him to make a league-average player.
In 55 games, he has hit .169 with two home runs and 11 RBIs. He has never been a good hitter, but the Dodgers only have him on the MLB roster because of his connections with the pitchers and because he is decent defensively. He has been with the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2015 and has grown and played with most of their current pitchers, which is his main advantage.
In the postseason, you need the best hitters. So if he even sees one at-bat, I would be surprised since they have another All-Star catcher on the team in Will Smith (not the actor), who has been on a tear in 2023. Believe it or not, most of his struggles could be due to getting unlucky. He holds an XBA (Expected Batting Average) of .207, which would be more manageable.