D-backs postseason FAQ: What's next?

PHOENIX -- D-backs manager Torey Lovullo is fond of saying that his team this year doesn’t do anything the easy way, so the fact that it took them until the next-to-last day of the regular season to clinch an NL Wild Card spot should not be a surprise.

How they got to this point is now irrelevant. For them it’s all about where they go from here.

“A lot of hard work went into this,” D-backs general manager Mike Hazen said. “And, you know, there was a period of time we played fantastic this year, there were plenty of periods of time where it didn't go our way for a while. And we played really well in September, and I'm really proud of that. Now we get an opportunity to go and face some pretty strong teams.”

Here’s a look at some of the questions that lie ahead:

What could the postseason roster look like?
After playing with a 28-man roster in September, teams revert to 26 players with a maximum of 13 pitchers in each round of the postseason, with rosters due prior to the first pitch of each Game 1. The biggest variable is the breakdown of pitchers and hitters; some teams might go with as few as 10 pitchers in a best-of-three series, and others might max out at 13.

It would seem likely the D-backs would go with at least one fewer pitcher than they had during the regular season, but we’ll have to see how they view it.

Here’s a look at what the roster could look like:

C: Gabriel Moreno, Jose Herrera
1B: Christian Walker
2B: Ketel Marte
SS: Geraldo Perdomo
3B: Emmanuel Rivera
Backup INF: Jordan Lawlar, Evan Longoria, Jace Peterson
OF: Corbin Carroll, Alek Thomas, Tommy Pham, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Jake McCarthy
SP: Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Brandon Pfaadt, Ryne Nelson
RP: Paul Sewald, Kevin Ginkel, Andrew Saalfrank, Ryan Thompson, Kyle Nelson, Miguel Castro, Joe Mantiply, Luis Frias

What are the question marks in the roster projection?
There are a bunch of questions, beginning with what was touched on earlier: Do the D-backs carry an extra position player or not?

The NL Wild Card Series is just a best-of-three, and with Gallen and Kelly set to start Games 2 and 3 (if necessary), respectively, the D-backs likely do not need to carry a lot of length in the bullpen. That’s why Bryce Jarvis was left off the projection.

When it comes to the position players, Herrera will be added in place of Seby Zavala, who is ineligible to be on the postseason roster because he was not on Arizona's 40-man roster on Sept. 1.

It's likely the D-backs will carry 14 position players and 12 pitchers, but things could get interesting should they decide to carry only 13 position players. Longoria has seen his at-bats diminish lately, but he’s one of the few players on the roster with playoff experience and he provides some real power off the bench against lefties.

Lawlar has had his struggles at the plate since getting promoted, but outside of Perdomo, he is the only other true shortstop on the roster, and he has played good defense.

McCarthy has also seen his playing time shrink, but he is a burner on the bases and could prove to be valuable as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement.

Rivera and Peterson have each had some success and provide infield depth.

Who will start for the D-backs?
Pfaadt will start Game 1, followed by Gallen in Game 2 on Wednesday night. Kelly will get the call in Game 3 (if necessary) on Thursday.

When do the playoffs start?
The NL Wild Card Series will start Tuesday.

For a full explanation of how MLB’s current format works, and the latest matchups if the season ended today, MLB.com’s “postseason watch” is indispensable.

Who will they face in the Wild Card Series?
As the No. 3 Wild Card team, the D-backs will take on the Brewers in a rematch of the 2011 NL Division Series, which the Brewers won three games to two.

The D-backs went 4-2 against the Brewers this year, including a 2-1 mark at American Family Field.

What will the game times be?
For the Wild Card series vs. the Brewers, each game will be broadcast on ESPN2:

• Game 1, Tuesday: 7 p.m. ET/4 MST
• Game 2, Wednesday: 7 p.m. ET/4 MST
• Game 3 (if needed), Thursday: 7 p.m. ET/4 MST

If the D-backs advance past the Wild Card Series, they will play the Dodgers in the NL Division Series, starting Saturday.

MLB sets game times only after the entire slate of matchups for a given postseason round is set, so there is usually little advance notice. The moment the league announces game times, you'll find them on MLB.com.