Dodgers add LHP Julio Urias to NLCS roster, drop Alexander
MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Brewers put Xavier Cedeno on their roster for the NL Championship Series against Los Angeles, adding another left-hander to their deep bullpen for the matchup with the Dodgers' power-packed lineup.
Cedeno had a 1.13 ERA in eight innings over 15 games after he was acquired in a trade with the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 31. Cedeno replaces slick-fielding outfielder Keon Broxton, who homered in Game 3 of the NLDS sweep against Colorado.
Left-handed hitting Max Muncy has a team-high 35 homers for the Dodgers. Two more left-handers, Cody Bellinger and Joc Pederson, are next with 25 each.
"We made a choice basically to add another pitcher, because it could be a seven-game series," manager Craig Counsell said. "We add another left-hander that we think matches up well in kind of a number of situations. So we add extra potential outs. And then the sacrifice is we're losing a baserunner, a defender, and we're losing a hitter."
The Dodgers are sticking with 12 pitchers and 13 positions players, but made one change from the Division Series. They switched left-handers for the NLCS, with Julio Urias taking Scott Alexander's roster spot.
The hard-throwing Urias had no record and didn't allow a run in three games this season. He returned to the big leagues in mid-September after missing more than a year following surgery on his left shoulder.
"The value of Julio to come in and get one to four or five outs, I think that for us with our bullpen construction, we feel comfortable with that," manager Dave Roberts said.
Alexander was 2-1 with a 3.68 ERA and three saves this season. He made one appearance in the NLDS against the Braves, pitching a scoreless ninth inning in Game 3.
