Injured Seager off roster

LOS ANGELES — All-Star shortstop Corey Seager was left off the Los Angeles Dodgers’ roster for the NL Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs due to a back injury.

The Dodgers announced Seager’s surprise omission several hours before Game 1 at Dodger Stadium last night. Charlie Culberson, who had 15 plate appearances in the big leagues this season, replaced Seager in the lineup.

“It was just unrealistic to think that I would be able to go,” Seager said.

Seager complained of back pain during the Dodgers’ NL Division Series clincher in Arizona on Monday after sliding into second base in the first inning. The 2016 NL Rookie of the Year didn’t run or participate in team workouts this week, and he had an epidural shot Tuesday.

“It improved, but (not) enough to warrant him being out there,” manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s still sore. (Seager) hasn’t hit, hasn’t moved around, and to (decide whether) he can not only take the field but be effective out there, I think that we had to weigh everything.”

Instead, Seager likely can’t play again this season unless the Dodgers reach their first World Series since 1988. Seager theoretically could be added back to the NLCS roster if a teammate was seriously injured, but Roberts downplayed that possibility before Game 1.

So did Seager, who doesn’t even plan to travel with the Dodgers to Chicago for Game 3 on Tuesday.

“You try to be the best (teammate) that you can right now, try to not be a distraction,” Seager said. “Try to be as positive and inspirational, whatever you want to say, to help your team right now.”

The lower back pain clearly frustrates Seager, who can’t understand how it happened on an innocuous play.

“It was a very normal slide,” Seager said. “I watched it over and over again to see if I landed awkward, hit awkward.”

L.A. also dropped reliever Pedro Baez from its roster and added outfielder Joc Pederson,