Seager off L.A.’s roster

All-Star shortstop Corey Seager was left off the Dodgers’ roster for the NL Championship Series against the Cubs because of a back injury.

The Dodgers announced Seager’s surprise omission several hours before the Dodgers’ 5-2 victory in Game 1 at Dodger Stadium on Saturday night. Charlie Culberson, who had 15 plate appearances in the big leagues this season, replaced Seager in the lineup.

Seager complained of back soreness 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 during the 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.”

Los Angeles also dropped reliever Pedro Baez from its roster. Culberson and outfielder Joc Pederson were added. Chicago made one change from the NLDS, adding right-handed reliever Hector Rondon and removing left-handed reliever Justin Wilson.

Seager led the Dodgers with 159 hits this season, batting .295 with 22 homers and 77 RBIs.

He is eligible to be added to

the team’s roster during the series if another player is injured. He would not, however, have been eligible to play in the World Series if he had started the NLCS on the team’s roster and then had been removed because of injury.

Jose Quintana was Chicago’s starting pitcher for Game 1 even after his wife was forced off the team’s chartered jet a day earlier because of a medical issue.

Quintana stayed in Albuquerque on Friday with his wife, Michel, who fell ill during the cross-country flight after the Cubs eliminated Washington on Thursday. Quintana’s agent told USA Today that Michel Quintana had an irregular heartbeat. She was feeling better, and the left-hander flew to L.A. later Friday night.

ALCS Game 3: Down 2-0 in the ALCS, the Yankees will turn to CC Sabathia as the series returns to Yankee Stadium. Sabathia will start Game 3 on Monday, which would be his third start this postseason and 21st career playoff start. The 37-yearold lefty allowed eight hits and six runs — four earned — with 14 strikeouts across 92⁄3 innings in two starts in the ALDS.

Houston will counter with Charlie Morton.