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

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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.

Connor Phillips is startlingly ineligible to be part of the Reds playoff roster.

For the same reasons (and then some) that Carson Spiers is ineligble to be part of the Cincinnati Reds playoff roster, Connor Phillips will have to sit this one out as well. While there is a chance that the Reds top prospect could be added to the 40-man roster in the coming days, it'll be much too late.

Just like Spiers, Phillips was added as a substitute player when a bevy of Reds pitchers landed on the COVID-19-related injured list. Phillips was a non-roster invitee to spring training, and spent the entire 2023 season in the minors until he joined the active roster in early-September.

Phillips first major league start came against his old club. The Seattle Mariners originally drafted Phillips, but the right-hander was part the trade that sent Eugenio Suarez and Jesse Winker to SeaTown prior to the 2022 season.

The Reds may yet add Phillips to the 40-man roster before the end of the 2023 season. With pitchers like Brandon Williamson and Andrew Abbott possibly approaching innings-limits, David Bell may need a spot-starter at some point over the final two weeks of the season.

If not, Connor Phillips will definitely be added to the Cincinnati Reds 40-man roster this offseason in order to protect the 22-year-old from the Rule 5 Draft. There are a lot of fans and pundits who believe that Phillips could be part of the Reds starting rotation on Opening Day next season.

Tejay Antone is uniquely eligible for the Reds playoff roster.

This might actually surprise some people, but Tejay Antone is actually eligible for the Cincinnati Reds playoff roster if the club is fortunate enough to snag one of the final NL Wild Card spots.

Antone is currently on the 15-day IL with tendonitis, but there is optimism around the Reds clubhouse that the right-hander could return before the end of the 2023 season. Antone was removed from a game earlier last week.

Antone missed all of the 2022 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in August of 2021. The 29-year-old then suffered a flexor strain before spring training that required rest. Antone began a rehab assignment last month and finally returned to the Reds active roster on September 1st.

The postseason roster rules allow any player who is on the team's 40-man roster or the 60-day IL on the August 31st deadline to be part of the playoff roster. Antone was placed on the 60-day IL prior to the start of the 2023 season.

The Cincinnati Reds could certainly use Tejay Antone back in the bullpen if the team secured a playoff berth in the coming weeks. Of course, he'll need to be healthy, but having Captain Hook in the backend of the Reds bullpen would be an enormous boost for this club if they make it to the postseason.

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