Cleared to join Padres, will Clevinger make NLWC roster?

NEW YORK -- Mike Clevinger was never part of the Padres’ rotation plans for the National League Wild Card Series this weekend. But if they need him to pitch, they now know he'll be available.

Clevinger, who was under the weather and scratched from his start on Wednesday, received a pair of negative results on his COVID-19 tests, manager Bob Melvin said Thursday. The right-hander was en route to New York as of Thursday night.

• NL Wild Card Game 1, presented by Hankook Tire: Today, 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on ESPN

It's still unclear whether the Padres plan to carry Clevinger on their postseason roster -- just as it's unclear whether Clevinger's illness and his delayed travel would impact those plans.

But the Padres at least have the option to keep Clevinger, and there would seem to be ample benefit to doing so:

• In a three-game Wild Card Series, it's all hands on deck, and although the Padres would presumably like to line up Clevinger to start a potential NL Division Series, in a must-win game, he might prove serviceable out of the bullpen.

• With the arrival of the postseason, gone are the automatic runners to start extras. That could lead to extra-innings games lasting much longer, and the Padres need to plan for that possibility with length options in their bullpen.

• Clevinger, regardless of whether he's a starter or a reliever, is one of the Padres' 12 best arms – and he has postseason experience pitching in relief with Cleveland.

• Postseason ticket information

Indeed, Melvin indicated it’s likely the Padres carry 12 pitchers. Wild Card Series rosters must be submitted by 10 a.m. local time on Friday morning.

“We’re still making those decisions, and we still have some time,” Melvin said. “I think we’re still leaning toward 14 position players, 12 pitchers. But who those guys are, I’m not sure yet.”

What does this mean for the bench?
If, indeed, the Padres were to carry 14 position players, it would seemingly settle all of their roster questions on offense, with this as their likeliest bench:

Wil Myers, OF/1B
José Azocar, CF
Luis Campusano, C
Jorge Alfaro, C
Brandon Dixon, IF/OF

A five-man bench is a bit of a luxury for a team that didn't pinch-hit very aggressively this season. But Melvin touted a number of benefits.

"Depending on how the game goes, [we have] some different variables late," Melvin said. "If we do go with three catchers and you bring your second catcher into the game and something happens, you know you also have your third catcher there.

"And we were trying to get a handle on a couple of guys who got a lot of at-bats in the last few games to feel like maybe we were comfortable with them coming off the bench. "

Translation: Campusano seems likely to make the roster as the third catcher. Dixon may have earned his way onto the roster as a bench bat. And the Padres would consider pinch-hitting for catcher Austin Nola late in games, if they have a better matchup.

What does this mean for the bullpen?
That leaves a nine-man Padres bullpen, and here’s where things presumably stand:

In: Josh Hader, Robert Suarez, Luis García, Nick Martinez, Tim Hill, Pierce Johnson
On the bubble: Adrian Morejon, Sean Manaea, Steven Wilson, Mike Clevinger
Outside shot: Craig Stammen, Nabil Crismatt

There’s room for only three of Morejon, Manaea, Wilson and Clevinger -- and no indication which way the Padres are leaning.

“Our bullpen’s been pitching pretty well here, coming down the stretch,” Melvin said. “… Very rarely do you see a complete game in-season, let alone during a postseason game, so our bullpen’s going to be very important to us.”