The MLB postseason is here, and that means wild card rosters have finally been announced.
There will be some high-intensity series right off the bat, with the Brewers squaring off against the Diamondbacks, the Phillies playing against the Marlins, the Twins battling against the Blue Jays, and the Rangers and Rays dueling in what could quite possibly be the best series of the opening round.
It's time to break down the rosters and, more specifically, the mistake each team made in putting together those rosters. But there is a twist in this story with one American League team who made an omission that impressed me, and said a lot about their organizational growth.
Without further ado, let's dive right into it.
MLB Playoffs: 1 mistake every Wild Card team made with their postseason roster
Milwaukee Brewers: Having Jesse Winker on the roster
There were a few interesting ones for the Brewers, most notably not including Adrian Houser on the roster despite Brandon Woodruff's injury.
But having Winker on the roster caught my eye, and not in a good way. He has struggled mightily in recent years and this season was no different as he slashed .199/.320/.247 with one home run and 23 RBI in 61 games this season. The Brewers could have gone with other players, perhaps an outfielder with more upside. But going with Winker was not what I would have done.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Having Pavin Smith on the roster
I thought that it was interesting that Pavin Smith made the Diamondbacks' roster, though it would have been tough to leave him off considering the struggles of Jace Peterson and injury to Jake McCarthy.
Arizona is positioned to give the Brewers a fight in the wild card, however, considering their pitching and the presence of Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll, among others.
Philadelphia Phillies: Leaving Michael Lorenzen off the roster
When the Phillies acquired Lorenzen at the trade deadline, he was meant to put their rotation over the top. At first, he exceeded their wildest expectations, throwing 17 innings and allowing only two runs, including a no-hitter against the Washington Nationals on August 9.
But it's been a struggle ever since. In 11 games with the Phillies (seven starts), Lorenzen has a 5.51 ERA and was even used in a bullpen role. While he has struggled, he's someone that the Phillies could have used in either long relief or even a one-inning stint. He's a useful pitcher, and it's curious to ponder if he'd make their NLDS roster should they advance.
Miami Marlins: Leaving Johnny Cueto off the roster
On the surface, Cueto's numbers aren't overly inspiring. In 13 games, he has a 6.02 ERA and has only 39 strikeouts in 52.1 innings.
But what Cueto does have that most Marlins players don't is extensive playoff experience. He's been here before. He's been someone who has pitched in a World Series and can be a calming voice in a young locker room. He could have pitched as a starter. He could have come out of the bullpen. Either way, he'd provide value, and not having him on the roster -- especially with all the injuries in the rotation -- could come back to bite Miami.
Tampa Bay Rays: Leaving Kevin Kelly off the roster
I was tempted to go with Taj Bradley here, but Kelly was an interesting omission from the postseason roster.
Kelly was very solid for the Rays out of the bullpen this season, posting a 3.09 ERA in 57 appearances. He has multi-inning experience, too, and could have been a valuable piece in the late innings for the Rays, especially considering that both right and left-handed hitters are averaging a mere .211 against him this season.
Texas Rangers: Having Will Smith on the roster
I know some folks would be tempted to have Austin Hedges here, but Hedges is an elite defender. It's why he's stuck in baseball for as long as he has despite being a below-average defender. He's also a great locker room player, and that's invaluable to any franchise.
Let me just say this: I understand why the Rangers put Smith on their wild card roster. His extensive career and postseason success warrant it. But his recent numbers - six hits and six earned runs in his last four innings - would have given me pause. But he's fresh, and hasn't allowed a run in his last two innings, so it's possible he has put those struggles behind him.
Minnesota Twins: Leaving Joey Gallo off the roster
I want to take this in a different direction. I want to give the Twins credit for not having Gallo on the wild card roster and admitting an $11 million offseason mistake.
I'm not sure how many franchises would have done that. But considering that Gallo was hitting .177/.301/.440 with 21 home runs in 111 games, the upside was not worth the risk. Especially with Gallo striking out 142 times in 282 at-bats.
Toronto Blue Jays: Having Trevor Richards on the roster
I was very tempted to put "leaving Hyun-Jin Ryu" in this spot, especially considering that he's far exceeded expectations coming off Tommy John surgery. But he just pitched recently and likely wouldn't have been available for this series. So I'll go with Richards instead.
Richards has a high strikeout rate, which could make him a valuable late-inning asset. But his numbers this season - 4.95 ERA, 35 walks in 72.2 innings - make him a volatile option and could be risky if needed down the stretch.
