2 Reds players who are startlingly ineligible for the playoff roster and 1 player who is uniquely eligible

The Cincinnati Reds are on the verge of making it to the postseason for the first time since the truncated 2020 season saw 16 teams enter the tournament.

This season, that number stands at 12, but the Reds are battling it out with the likes of Miami Marlins, Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks, and San Francisco Giants to see which teams will be included among the dozen in this year's MLB Playoffs.

However, if the Reds make it to the playoffs, a few players will not be eligible to be part of Cincinnati's playoff roster. Which two Reds players are startlingly ineligible to be part of the playoff roster and which one player uniquely is?

Carson Spiers is startlingly ineligible to be part of the Reds playoff roster.

There are certain rules that exist when it comes to players who are eligible to be part of a team's playoff roster. One such rule, according to MLB.com, requires that a player be part of a team's roster prior to August 31st. Carson Spiers does not meet that criteria.

The Cincinnati Reds had a bout of illness sweep through the clubhouse over a week ago and saw the likes of Hunter Greene, Ben Lively, and Fernando Cruz land on the COVID-19-related injured list.

Thankfully, MLB still had rules in place that allowed the Reds to add "substitute players" to the active roster. Among them was Spiers, who hadn't pitched above Double-A prior to his major league debut on September 3rd against the Chicago Cubs.

Spiers made two appearances for the Reds before being returned to Double-A. However, with Graham Ashcraft on the IL, Cincinati made the decision to select the contract of Spiers on September 14th and officially add the right-hander to the Reds 40-man roster.

Unfortunately, that's too late in the game in order to include Carson Spiers as part of the Cincinnati Reds playoff roster. If the Reds make it to the postseason, Spiers may be able to watch from the dugout, but he can't be part of the playoff roster.