If MLB approves a team’s request to replace an injured player during a postseason series, the replacement must be the same roster type: a pitcher for a pitcher or a position player for a position player. The injured player is out for the rest of that round and, if the team advances, the following round. A substitution is not automatic; the club must request permission from the Commissioner’s Office.
How an in-series injury replacement works
- The club requests permission. An injury during a series does not automatically open a roster spot. The team petitions the Commissioner’s Office.
- MLB decides whether to approve it. The Commissioner’s Office may approve or deny the request based on the circumstances. MLB’s published explanation does not set out a universal filing deadline or a complete petition checklist.
- The replacement must match the injured player’s roster type. A pitcher can be replaced by a pitcher; a position player can be replaced by a position player.
- If approved, the replacement takes the spot for the rest of that series. The injured player cannot return for the remainder of the current round or the next round, if the club advances.
These rules are described in MLB’s 2026 postseason roster rules explainer, dated September 30, 2026. The league’s announcement of a 2025 Dodgers substitution likewise says the Commissioner’s Office may approve or disapprove a request based on the specific facts and circumstances: MLB’s Tanner Scott roster announcement.
How this differs from changing the roster between rounds
Teams submit a 26-player roster before each postseason series. The club can make its next roster selection before a new series; that routine submission is different from asking MLB to authorize a replacement in the middle of a series.
| Situation | What happens | Who decides |
|---|---|---|
| Injury during a series | The club requests an approved replacement for the rest of that series. The replacement must be the same roster type, and the injured player is ineligible for the rest of that round and the next round if the team advances. | The Commissioner’s Office considers the club’s request. |
| Roster submission before a new series | The team submits its 26-player roster for that series and may make changes from the prior series roster, subject to postseason eligibility rules. | The club selects its roster under MLB’s eligibility rules. |
This distinction explains why a player replaced during one round may become eligible again later. In 2025, MLB said Tanner Scott would be ineligible for the NLCS after his NLDS replacement, but could be eligible for the World Series if the Dodgers advanced.
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What MLB’s examples show
Dodgers: pitcher for pitcher in the 2025 NLDS
MLB approved left-handed pitcher Justin Wrobleski to replace left-handed pitcher Tanner Scott for the remainder of the NLDS. The announcement said MLB Medical Director Dr. Gary Green confirmed Scott’s injury after reviewing the medical information. Scott could not return for the NLCS, but could be eligible for the World Series if Los Angeles qualified. See MLB’s announcement.
Blue Jays: position player for position player in the 2025 ALCS
MLB approved outfielder Joey Loperfido to replace outfielder Anthony Santander for the remainder of the ALCS. The announcement said Santander would be ineligible to return in the World Series if Toronto advanced. See MLB’s announcement.
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These cases demonstrate how the rule was applied, not a guarantee that another request will be approved.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Postseason eligibility is a separate question
Even if MLB approves a substitution, the proposed replacement must be eligible for postseason play. MLB’s 2026 explainer says players generally had to be on the club’s 40-man roster before September 1 or on the 60-day injured list entering September. It also describes an exception: a player who was in the organization by August 31 may be petitioned onto a postseason roster in place of an injured-list player after the required minimum time. Players who joined the organization after August 31 are ineligible. Because these cutoffs are season-specific, consult the current season’s MLB postseason roster rules explainer.
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MLB’s glossary describes the minimum injured-list service periods as at least 10 days on the 10-day injured list or 60 days on the 60-day injured list, and notes that a Commissioner’s Office petition is involved for a player who otherwise does not meet eligibility criteria: MLB’s postseason roster eligibility glossary. That eligibility exception governs who may be placed on a postseason roster; it is distinct from the in-series request to replace a newly injured player.
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