Pitchers Clayton Kershaw and Joe Kelly were left off the Los Angeles Dodgers' roster for their NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres that started Saturday.
Kershaw is done for the season after his big toe injury worsened, manager Dave Roberts said. Kelly also won't be available until the World Series should the Dodgers make it that far.
Click to Gallery
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw stands on the field during practice in preparation for Game 1 of a baseball NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres in Los Angeles, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Keider Montero throws against the Chicago White Sox in the seventh inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Ben Lively delivers against the Houston Astros during the first inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
Cleveland Guardians' Jose Ramirez, left, and David Fry, right, talk near the batting cage during a baseball workout in Cleveland, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in preparation for the American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Ben Lively delivers against the Houston Astros during the first inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
The Cleveland Guardians hold a baseball workout in Cleveland, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in preparation for the American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Edgardo Henriquez, a 22-year-old right-hander whose fastball averaged 98.7 mph when he pitched his first three big league games during the final week of the regular season, was included on the Dodgers' NLDS roster.
Right-hander Michael Grove was included but outfielder Kevin Kiermaier was omitted.
A 36-year-old left-hander, Kershaw is a three-time Cy Young Award winner and 10-time All-Star. He returned July 25 from shoulder surgery but has been sidelined since Aug. 31 with a bone spur in his left big toe.
“We're closing the door," Roberts said. “Clayton has done everything he can to keep this thing moving forward and giving himself a chance to participate in the postseason. But where he’s at right now, physically, the foot, the toe just is not cooperating. It’s actually getting worse. Yeah, this is it for Clayton for 2024.”
Kelly, a 36-year-old right-hander, didn't pitch between Aug. 30 and Sept. 18 because of right shoulder inflammation but returned to make four late-season appearances.
“Joe Kelly, his last pitch in a simulated game, throwing a change-up, he felt something in his shoulder, so that kind of put him out of the conversation,” Roberts said.
Roberts also said reliever Brent Honeywell would not be available until Game 5 of the NLDS, if the series goes the distance.
San Diego added right-handers Martín Pérez and Alek Jacob, who were skipped from the Wild Card Series roster against Atlanta. The Padres dropped infielder Nick Ahmed and right-hander Joe Musgrove, who needs Tommy John surgery.
Ben Lively was left off Cleveland's roster for the AL Division Series against Detroit despite being an invaluable addition to the Guardians' starting rotation this season.
The New York Yankees dropped pitcher Marcus Stroman and reliever Mark Leiter Jr. along with injured infielders Anthony Rizzo and DJ LeMahieu for their best-of-five series against Kansas City but included relievers Jake Cousins and Tim Mayza along with speedster Duke Ellis, who has played in just 11 big league games.
“Big smile on my face of course and very excited,” Ellis said.
Philadelphia gave its last bullpen spot to left-hander left-hander Kolby Allard, who had just four starts and three relief appearances this season, over right-handers Max Lazar and Spencer Turnbull.
The New York Mets added right-hander Kodai Senga, who was limited to one start and 5 1/3 innings, and last year's NL Rookie of the Year runner-up started Saturday's opener against the Phillies. Right-hander Tylor Megill, who was off the Wild Card Series roster against Milwaukee after starting against Atlanta on Monday, also was added. Right-handers Max Kranick and Huascar Brazoban were dropped.
Lively went 13-10 with a 3.81 ERA in 29 starts for the Guardians, who signed him to a one-year contract as a free agent in December. The right-hander led the team in wins and was arguably the club's most consistent pitcher for the first three months of the season.
The Tigers, who swept Houston in the AL wild-card round, made only one change. Rookie right-hander Keider Montero was added for the ALDS in place of righty Casey Mize.
Added to give Cleveland depth, Lively helped the AL Central champions overcome the loss of former Cy Young winner Shane Bieber, who made just two starts before having season-ending Tommy John surgery.
The Guardians also were without starter Gavin Williams until July because of an elbow injury, and Triston McKenzie and Logan Allen — both penciled in as starters — struggled and were sent to the minor leagues.
Cleveland's bullpen has been MLB's best all season, and manager Stephen Vogt elected to carry 12 pitchers. Two notable contributors were left off: Nick Sandlin, who went 8-0 with a 3.75 ERA in 68 games and Pedro Avila, who was 6-1 with a 3.81 ERA in 54 appearances.
Vogt said it was hard leaving anyone off. He also chose utilityman Tyler Freeman because of his versatility over rookie outfielder Angel Martinez.
“It's terrible, not fun at all,” Vogt said. “Guys like Angel, that contributed a lot to us in our success. It’s hard when you use 40-something, 50 guys. We’ve made the roster for this specific series. It’s not going to be necessarily the roster moving forward, but it was a really difficult day and understanding and liking it are two different things.”
Starter Alex Cobb, who ended the season on the injured list because of a finger blister, is on the ALDS roster. He is a candidate to start Game 3, though Vogt could choose to use his bullpen from start to finish.
Kansas City kept its roster unchanged from its series against Baltimore.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw stands on the field during practice in preparation for Game 1 of a baseball NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres in Los Angeles, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Keider Montero throws against the Chicago White Sox in the seventh inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Ben Lively delivers against the Houston Astros during the first inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
Cleveland Guardians' Jose Ramirez, left, and David Fry, right, talk near the batting cage during a baseball workout in Cleveland, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in preparation for the American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Ben Lively delivers against the Houston Astros during the first inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
The Cleveland Guardians hold a baseball workout in Cleveland, Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in preparation for the American League Division Series against the Detroit Tigers. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
PRAYAGRAJ, India (AP) — Hindus venerate rivers, and none more so than the Ganges. The faithful believe that a dip in its waters will cleanse them of their past sins.
Wherever other sacred rivers flow into the Ganges, the benefits of bathing at the confluence on auspicious days increases manyfold. A devotee can hope to begin a journey to achieve Hindu philosophy’s ultimate goal — the release from the cycles of birth and death.
The most propitious of these days occur in cycles of 12 years. When the time comes for Prayagraj, in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, millions flock to the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers during a festival called the Maha Kumbh Mela.
It has become the largest such gathering of humans anywhere on Earth.
In 2025, between Jan. 13 and Feb. 26, about 400 million people, more than the population of the United States, are expected to participate in the festival.
Planning for such an incredible number of pilgrims can be a logistics nightmare, but the local government has some experience.
It successfully organized a smaller version of the festival called Ardh Kumbh, or Half Kumbh, in 2019, when 240 million visitors were recorded, with about 50 million taking a ritual bath on the busiest day.
Planning for even larger numbers in 2025, the state government has formed the Maha Kumbh Mela area in Prayagraj into a separate administrative district for four months.
As the 2025 festival draws closer, construction of the temporary district is in full swing. Divided into 25 sections and spreading over 40 square kilometers (15 square miles), it will have housing, roads, electricity and water, communication towers and 11 hospitals.
Hundreds of workers and machines are crowding the river’s edge. Working around the clock, they are laying water and drainage pipes, building 30 pontoon bridges (up from 22 in 2019), and compacting sand dredged from the river to enlarge the banks along the 12-kilometer (7-mile) -long stretch where pilgrims will gather to bathe.
Scaffolding for tents, some of which will house as many as 25,000 pilgrims, is being erected.
About 20,000 workers are responsible for keeping the area and its more than 150,000 temporary toilets clean.
About 50,000 security personnel — a 50% increase from 2019 — are being trained in how to keep the festival safe.
“The mela can be a very stressful environment for the personnel, so we are teaching them stress management and training them in soft skills to interact better with the pilgrims,” said Senior Superintendent of Police Rajesh Diwedi, who is overseeing security operations.
More than 2,500 cameras, some powered by AI, will send crowd movement and density information to four central control rooms, where officials can quickly deploy personnel to avoid stampedes.
Many devotees will stay for more than a month, observing austerity, giving alms and bathing at sunrise every day.
Sanitation workers walk to their work area on the banks of the Ganges river in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Police officials test a remote-controlled lifebuoy on the Ganges river, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals in Prayagraj, India, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers lay metal sheets to build a temporary road on the banks of the Ganges river in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Women make clay stoves to be sold to the devotees who will be staying on the banks of the Ganges river, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Stray dogs relax on a street next to a wall freshly painted as part of a beautification drive, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers tar a road in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers put up electric cables and install surveillance cameras on the banks of the Ganges river in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A Hindu holy man prays sitting next to an earthmover moving sand on the banks of the Ganges river, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, center, in saffron robe, inspects a control center of the municipal corporation in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Firefighters on motorcycles decorated with balloons ride through the town in a public relations exercise before the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers paint the railings of a bridge over the Ganges river, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers carry a slab of stone to be used for the beautification of a street in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers make a floating platform on the Ganges river from interlocking plastic cubes, right, next to a finished one supporting changing rooms for the VIPs, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers repair a boat next to a pile of interlocking plastic cubes meant for building a floating jetty on the Ganges river in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers build a mural in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers build replicas of the twelve Jyotirlingas, important temples spread across India dedicated to Hindu god Shiva, enclosed by a shape representing the map of India, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Portable toilets are kept on the banks of the Ganges river before installation, in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers build pontoon bridges over the Ganges river in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers prepare to join a section of a pontoon bridge over the Ganges river in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A crew inspects overhead power cables meant for railway engines as others work on an overhead bridge in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Workers build a pontoon bridge over the Ganges river in preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
An earthmover works on the banks of the Ganges river preparing the site for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Hindu holy men, or Sadhus, inspect a site for their camp on the banks of the Ganges river for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest religious festivals, in Prayagraj, India, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
