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Nationals finalize 25-Man roster for NLDS matchup with Giants

There were a few surprises when the Washington Nationals released their 25-Man Roster for the NLDS this morning. No Ross Detwiler? Rafael Soriano made it. Scott Hairston's left off? Nats' skipper Matt Williams made the tough decisions...

By Patrick Reddington
H.Darr Beiser-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Nationals waited until this morning to release the 25-Man roster for the NLDS matchup with the San Francisco Giants. There are a few surprises. Rafael Soriano, who struggled in the second half is on the roster. Ross Detwiler, the Game 4 starter in the NLDS in 2012 who was moved to the bullpen this season, is not included on the roster for the first postseason series.

The Nats' roster, as their press release notes, consists of, "12 pitchers (three left-handed pitchers, nine right-handed pitchers) and 13 position players (two catches, seven infielders, four outfielders)."

Here's the 25-Man Roster:

Also absent from the 25-Man Roster, outfielder Scott Hairston. With Ryan Zimmerman on the roster, and playing left field for the most part since he returned from the DL, Hairston, the veteran right-handed bench bat didn't end up on the NLDS roster.

Bryce Harper, Denard Span, Jayson Werth and Nate Schierholtz are the four outfielders with Zimmerman listed as an infielder on the roster released by the Nationals.

The Nationals named their starters for the first three games of the NLDS matchup with the Giants yesterday with Nats' skipper Matt Williams saying it would be Stephen Strasburg today, Jordan Zimmermann tomorrow afternoon in D.C. and Doug Fister taking the mound for the Nationals in Game 3 in AT&T Park when the series shifts to San Francisco.

Asked about the Game 4 starter, Williams would only say, "...we'll wait for a later date to announce that one."

So what's the biggest surprise? No Detwiler? Soriano on the roster? Scott Hairston being left off?

Soriano's second-half numbers (6.48 ERA, .299/.359/.505 line against in 25 IP), led some (including just about everyone here) to guess he would be left off the NLDS roster. What role will the veteran right-hander fill going forward? Will Matt Williams be daring enough to use him in any high-leverage situations?

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