Dodgers include Kershaw on NLCS roster; Rushing off, Casparius on

MILWAUKEE -- The Dodgers set their 26-man roster for the NL Championship Series ahead of Monday's Game 1 against the Brewers, adding right-hander Ben Casparius and removing catcher Dalton Rushing. Despite a rough Game 3 relief appearance in the NLDS against the Phillies, lefty Clayton Kershaw was added to the roster.

In each of the first two rounds, the Dodgers opted to carry only 11 pitchers (not counting Shohei Ohtani, because of his two-way player status) due to the shorter series. They still decided not to max out their pitching staff for the NLCS, but they brought in a fresh arm and added some balance to what had been a lefty-heavy bullpen for the NLDS.

Casparius had spent the whole season with the Dodgers before being optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City in September. The team wanted him to use the time in the Minors to get back to his form from before his brief stint in the rotation in June, when he recorded a 2.54 ERA in 39 innings and was especially tough on his fellow righties.

With Will Smith returning to the starting lineup during the NLDS, the Dodgers no longer needed to carry three catchers on the active roster. Ben Rortvedt made the cut over Rushing, who struck out in one appearance as a pinch-hitter this postseason.

"We felt that Will is in a good spot to feel that we don't need to protect him to have a third catcher," manager Dave Roberts said. "With Ben, we just felt that having another right-hander to be able to take down a certain part of their lineup, if needed. And Ben pitched in the World Series last year, so he's got some experience, as well."

Here's the full roster:

Catchers (2): Ben Rortvedt, Will Smith

First base (1): Freddie Freeman

Second base (1): Miguel Rojas

Shortstop (1): Mookie Betts

Third base (1): Max Muncy

Outfielders (4): Alex Call, Justin Dean, Teoscar Hernández, Andy Pages

Utility (3): Tommy Edman, Kiké Hernández, Hyeseong Kim

Two-way player (1): Shohei Ohtani

Starters (3): Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Bullpen (9): Anthony Banda, Ben Casparius, Jack Dreyer, Clayton Kershaw, Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan, Blake Treinen, Alex Vesia, Justin Wrobleski