LOS ANGELES — Injured shortstop Dansby Swanson didn’t make the Atlanta Braves‘ roster for the National League Division Series. His replacement is Charlie Culberson, someone familiar to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Braves announced their roster Thursday, hours before the start of Game 1.
The Dodgers left All-Star pitcher Ross Stripling off their roster. The right-hander sparkled when added to the rotation because of injuries, going 8-3 with a 2.92 ERA before getting hurt and shifting back to the bullpen in August.
Also not on the Dodgers’ roster is 39-year-old infielder Chase Utley, who had announced he’ll retire at the end of the season although it’s likely he has already played in his last game.
The Dodgers are carrying 12 pitchers and 13 position players. Ambidextrous reliever Pat Venditte and reliever John Axford, who came over from Toronto at the trade deadline in August, didn’t make the roster.
Swanson tore a ligament in his left hand against the New York Mets in the next-to-last series of the regular season. He is one of Atlanta’s top defensive players. At the plate, he was hitting .238, with 14 home runs and 59 RBIs in 136 games.
Culberson is making his third straight playoff appearance. He helped the Dodgers to the World Series last year.
The Braves’ 25-man roster features 12 pitchers, including right-hander Julio Teheran, one of just two players who were with Atlanta for its last post-season appearance in 2013. The other is first baseman Freddie Freeman.
The other pitchers are: Brad Brach, Game 1 starter Mike Foltynewicz, rookie Max Fried, Kevin Gausman, rookie A.J. Minter, Sean Newcomb, Game 2 starter Anibal Sanchez, rookie Chad Sobotka, rookie Touki Toussaint, Jonny Venters and Arodys Vizcaino.
Sanchez went to the 2012 World Series with Detroit. Venters pitched for the Braves in their post-season appearances in 2010 and 2012.
Besides Culberson and Freeman, other infielders are Ozzie Albies, Johan Camargo, Lucas Duda and Ryan Flaherty. Duda helped the Mets win the NL pennant in 2015.
The Atlanta outfielders are rookie Ronald Acuna Jr., Lane Adams, Ender Inciarte and Nick Markakis.
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