Sean McAdam's projected Red Sox postseason roster

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BALTIMORE -- Thanks to expanded rosters, the Red Sox clubhouse is a pretty crowded place these days. No fewer than 36 players are in uniform.

In two weeks time, that number will be more manageable, as postseason rosters are submitted under the 25-man guideline that govern the game from Opening Day through the end of August.

The Red Sox haven't clinched the division yet, but rest assured, they're already having discussions about the 25 players they'll take into the Division Series.

In a five-game series, the Red Sox will probably carry 12 pitchers. If they had a designated pinch-runner -- as they did with Quentin Berry a few times -- they might be tempted to go with 11 pitchers, but since they don't, it looks like a dozen arms will do.

That makes sense, since there's no need for any more in a series that will see them play no more than two consecutive days.

Here's a guess at how it all might break down:

INFIELDERS (6)

Hanley Ramirez; Dustin Pedroia; Xander Bogaerts; Travis Shaw; Aaron Hill; Brock Holt.

Three positions (first, second and short) are set, with Hill and Shaw available to platoon at third and Holt in the mix, too, as well as being the general all-purpose utility man and lefty bat off the bench.

DH (1)

David Ortiz. Well, duh.     

CATCHERS (2)

Sandy Leon, Bryan Holaday.

Leon is the No. 1 catcher, of course, as he's been for much of the last few months.

Holaday is the likely choice at backup. A number of Red Sox pitchers have expressed their preference for him as the No. 2 receiver. It's unlikely that whether it's Holaday or Ryan Hanigan, the backup will get a start. He's around strictly as a backup.

OUTFIELDERS (4)

Chris Young; Andrew Benintendi; Jackie Bradley Jr.; Mookie Betts.

This is pretty straightforward, with Bradley and Betts everyday players in center and left respectively. Playing time in left will probably be a (fairly) strict platoon. Holt is around as a possible fifth outfielder.

STARTING PITCHERS (4)

David Price; Rick Porcello; Eduardo Rodriguez; Clay Buchholz.

The Game 1 starter is still undetermined, but the first two games will  go to Price and Porcello, in some order. They're likely to be followed by Rodriguez and then Buchhlolz, in that order.

Drew Pomeranz has pitched himself out of the post-season rotation after two straight poor starts and growing concerns about his stamina after a  career-high in innings.

Steven Wright? It would appear that the only way he makes a postseason roster would be as a reliever -- and even that's a longshot.

RELIEVERS (8)

Craig Kimbrel; Koji Uehara; Brad Ziegler; Matt Barnes; Robbie Ross Jr.; Drew Pomeranz; Robby Scott; and ?

Kimbrel will close, of course, with the resurgent Uehara as the primary eighth-inning man, helped by Barnes and Ziegler.

Pomeranz can give the Red Sox some length and has bullpen experience. The same goes for Ross.

Scott is the favorite to be selected as the lefty specialist. His strikeout of Chris Davis Wednesday was a key job audition that he passed with flying colors.

That leaves room for one more reliever, with no shortage of candidates. Among those who could earn a spot: Wright, Joe Kelly, Heath Hembree and Junichi Tazawa.

Tazawa has experience and has pitched far better the last two weeks with six straight scoreless appearances in that span.

Kelly supplies a power arm with strikeout capability, while Hembree has been valuable in long relief.

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