The Dodgers cut top reliever Evan Phillips from the World Series roster

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers, who have just three starters, will rely heavily on their bullpen to try to topple the New York Yankees and win the World Series. And they will have to do it without one of their top representatives.

Evan Phillips was left off the club's roster, unveiled Friday morning before Game 1 at Dodger Stadium, after suffering an arm injury during Game 6 of the National League Championship Series, according to a person familiar with the situation.

“Every day has gotten better,” said Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. “First and foremost we will not put him in danger and where there is ambiguity, it is not clear. And the way Major League Baseball's injury rule is written, we wouldn't be able to replace him” in that it was something that already existed.

Phillips' absence is considered a major blow. The right-hander did not allow a run in 6⅔ innings in five postseason games through the NLCS after posting a 3.62 ERA with 18 saves in 61 appearances during the regular season.

The good news for the Dodgers is that Alex Vesia, the team's best left-handed hitter, and infielder Miguel Rojas are on the roster after missing the NLCS due to injury. Brusdar Graterol, who didn't pitch in the postseason, also pitched. Outfielder Kevin Kiermaier, who was used as a late-inning defensive replacement and pinch runner in the NLCS, was cut from the roster.

Vesia, who posted a 1.76 ERA in 67 games during the regular season, was unavailable for the NLCS after suffering an intercostal injury during the NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres, in which he posted three scoreless innings had. He was allowed to return after throwing 15 pitches in a live bullpen session on Wednesday.

Shoulder and hamstring injuries limited Graterol to just seven appearances during the regular season. The playoff-proven reliever owns a 1.64 ERA in 22 career postseason games.

Rojas has been dealing with a nagging adductor problem that has kept him off the field since his exit from Game 3 of the NLDS. The veteran began the postseason as the Dodgers' starting shortstop, but his role could change as Tommy Edman, the NLCS MVP, moved to shortstop and played against the New York Mets and Kiké Hernández continued his stellar performances in October when he took the Opportunity to play was given every day after Rojas' injury.

The Yankees added Nestor Cortes, who was sidelined last month, to the roster, replacing infielder Jon Berti from the AL Championship Series squad. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Berti was removed from the roster because he suffered a hip flexor injury in Game 4 of the ALCS.

Cortes, who hasn't played since Sept. 18, ended the regular season with a flexor strain in his left forearm. After 30 regular season starts, he returns to the club as a reliever with a 30-pitch limit.

“I told them from the beginning that I just didn’t want to be on this roster because it was the World Series,” Cortes said. “I want to contribute and make sure that when I’m out there I give it my best shot and as close to 100% as possible.”