Dodgers juggle roster moves, Cortes could join Yankees

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LOS ANGELES — Left-hander Alex Vesia and shortstop Miguel Rojas could be added to the Los Angeles Dodgers roster for the World Series while left-hander Nestor Cortes appeared set to be activated by the New York Yankees for Friday’s opener.

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Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman will be in the starting lineup after missing games 4 and 6 of the NL Championship Series with a sprained right ankle.

“I can’t tell you I feel way better than I did six days ago,” Freeman said Thursday. “Playing in cleats and running, that’s a whole different story. It’s a sprained ankle. I’ve never dealt with one. They always say the first one is the worst.”

Vesia was left off the NL Championship Series roster after suffering an intercostal injury while warming up for NL Division Series Game 5 against San Diego on Oct. 11.

Rojas hasn’t played since Game 3 versus the Padres on Oct. 8 due to an adductor injury.

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Right-hander Brusdar Graterol, sidelined since Sept. 24 by inflammation in his pitching shoulder, also hopes to return.

“Everybody is trending in the right direction,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Thursday. “We’re going to have some more difficult conversations, which I think is a good thing. I think Alex threw 15 pitches yesterday in a sim game, and the stuff looked good. Then Graterol has been throwing. I think he’s trending in the right direction. So I think that on the pitching side, we’re in a pretty good spot right now.”

Graterol pitched three scoreless outings in the 2020 World Series against Tampa Bay. He was limited to seven regular-season appearances this season.

Los Angeles intends to stay with 13 pitchers and 13 position players. Roberts said Graterol’s month of inactivity will be considered.

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“It’s part of the math. I think the other part is his track record in the postseason, how good he’s been, how good the heartbeat’s been,” Roberts said. “We believe in the person, the stuff.”

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Roberts was pleased with Rojas’ progress.

“Yesterday he participated in the entire workout: Running well, taking at-bats, catching grounders. Everything looks really good,” the manager said. “So I think there’s a really good possibility we’ll see him on the roster.”

Cortes hasn’t pitched in a game since Sept. 18 because of a flexor strain in his pitching elbow. He threw two innings of batting practice at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone may pick 13 pitchers for his 26-man roster.

“I still want to get through today with Nestor and see where we’re at,” he said.

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