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The days of MLB rosters exploding to 40 players on Sept. 1 are a thing of the past.
Teams are now only allowed to expand their rosters from 26 to 28 players for the final month of the season, with a limit of 14 pitchers allowed in an effort to stop what was once a never-ending parade of relief pitchers each night in September.
For players not currently on their team’s 40-man roster, they will need to be added by 11:59 p.m. ET on Aug. 31 in order to be eligible for the postseason.
Despite the narrowed scope of September call-ups, there is still plenty of potential for a young player to make a late impact on a contending team. Outfielder Evan Carter is a perfect example, as he made his MLB debut on Sept. 8 last season and ended up playing a crucial role in the Texas Rangers’ run to a World Series title.
It also does not necessarily have to be a prospect making his MLB debut when it comes to September call-ups, as teams often use those additional roster spots on veteran players who have been shuttling between the MLB roster and Triple-A for much of the year.
With that in mind, we’ve predicted one September call-up for every postseason contender, with contending teams identified as anyone with at least a 10 percent chance of reaching the postseason, according to the latest odds from FanGraphs.