Major League Baseball

Skipper Yost, Royals ponder playoff roster construction

Published Sep. 27, 2014 6:04 p.m. ET

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CHICAGO — Now comes the fun part, and the difficult part, for manager Ned Yost: Figuring out the right roster for the playoffs.

Entering Saturday night's game, there were still a lot of moving parts that could affect roster construction.

"There's too many variables to talk too much about it," Yost said. "We might have a Game 163. We have a roster in mind for the wild card. We have one in mind for the division series."

The Royals still have their sights set on the division title. At one game back, they could win the Central outright with a Sunday win vs. the White Sox and a Detroit loss. If a tie occurs, a Game 163 would be played Monday in Detroit.

But if the Royals end up not winning the division and instead playing in the one-game wild-card playoff Tuesday, Yost indicated he would lean toward carrying only eight or nine pitchers.

"Wild card is a one-game switch," Yost said. "We're still going over (how many starters to take). You got to have depth. You're probably going to have all five starters because Danny Duffy and Yordano Ventura could go to the 'pen if you really need it."

Carrying Ventura, though, wouldn't make any sense if he pitches Sunday. He couldn't come back Tuesday on one day's rest.

If Yost keeps all five starters, he'd probably have to keep nine pitchers overall, just to get Brandon Finnegan on the roster along with Wade Davis, Greg Holland and Kelvin Herrera.

That would allow Yost to carry 16 position players, more than enough to keep both Josh Willingham and Raul Ibanez. Speedster Terrerance Gore, who has been a great weapon in September, would almost surely make the roster as well.

Keep in mind, too, that teams can flip their roster any way they want for each playoff series.

"They are all great scenarios," Yost said. "They're all fun to sit back and (debate). But tough decisions."

You can follow Jeffrey Flanagan on Twitter at or email him at jeffreyflanagan6@gmail.com.

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