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PETER ABRAHAM

Breaking down a possible Red Sox playoff roster

John Farrell said “without question” this is the deepest group of relievers he’s had to choose from entering the playoffs.BRIAN BLANCO/GETTY IMAGES

CINCINNATI — The Red Sox assured themselves at least a wild-card playoff spot on Wednesday. Now manager John Farrell can discuss his roster for the postseason without making a face or using phrases such as “what’s ahead” instead of saying “the postseason.”

Yes, baseball people are still that superstitious.

The Sox will have some difficult decisions to make, and how certain players perform over the final 10 games could determine whether they make the roster. Farrell also acknowledged that the team could keep 12 pitchers and go with a three-man bench.

“That’s a possibility,” he said. “We have to keep an open mind to all different configurations.”

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This projected roster was created in the belief that the Sox will win the American League East and start a best-of-five Division Series on Oct. 5 at Houston or Cleveland. They have a three-game lead on the Yankees.

So, here’s how the roster could shake out:

Outfielders (4): LF Andrew Benintendi, RF Mookie Betts, CF Jackie Bradley Jr., OF Rajai Davis.

Toughest omission: Chris Young.

Breakdown: The Red Sox traded for Davis to use as a pinch runner in the playoffs, a very specialized and potentially crucial role. That he is 4 for 24 at the plate with the Sox does not matter.

Young has hit .187 with a .664 OPS since the All-Star break and has only 15 plate appearances this month — four in the last 10 days. It appears he is being phased out.

Young’s omission could roil the clubhouse a bit. He is a well-respected player and one of the team leaders. But his performance all season has been well below what was expected.

Chris Young is a popular team leader, but he’s made minimal offensive impact of late.Matthew J. Lee/Globe staff

Catchers (2): Sandy Leon, Christian Vazquez.

Toughest omission: None.

Breakdown: Leon will catch Chris Sale, which he has done all season with outstanding results. But Vazquez will likely catch the other starters given his second-half surge at the plate. He has an .868 OPS since the break with 12 extra-base hits and even three stolen bases.

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Designated hitter (1): Hanley Ramirez.

Toughest omission: None.

Breakdown: Ramirez was shut down for four days for what was said to be a sore biceps. When he returned to the lineup on Wednesday, he was 3 for 5 with two doubles and three RBIs.

Ramirez has been a quandary all season, but he remains a dangerous hitter. The Sox need his power and have to hope it shows up in October. In 65 career postseason plate appearances he has hit .333 with a .959 OPS. That is a positive sign.

Infielders (6): SS Xander Bogaerts, 3B Rafael Devers, INF Brock Holt, 1B Mitch Moreland, INF Eduardo Nunez, 2B Dustin Pedroia.

Toughest omission: INF Deven Marrero.

Breakdown: Bogaerts, Devers, Moreland, and Pedroia are the starters. Nunez could take over at third base if Devers does not hit in the first two games. Yes, that fast. The rookie has looked overmatched at the plate and untrustworthy on defense over the last week.

Nunez also could DH if Ramirez falters and serves as protection at second base given Pedroia’s persistent knee issues.

Holt’s defensive versatility will give him the roster spot over Marrero. Farrell trusts him to play the corner outfield spots and everywhere on the infield. Marrero is a better offensive player at this stage but that becomes less important in a short series.

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Holt has played in 15 games in September and has 30 plate appearances. Marrero has played in six games and been to bat 13 times. That Farrell prefers Holt seems obvious.

There is one problem, however: When Devers comes out of the game for defensive purposes, Marrero is a better defensive third baseman than Nunez or Holt. Is it worth keeping Marrero for that job instead of an extra reliever? Or instead of Holt?

That will likely make for some internal debate.

Is Deven Marrero’s defensive prowess enough to earn him a spot on the postseason roster?Barry Chin/Globe staff/file

Rotation (4): LHP Chris Sale, LHP Drew Pomeranz, RHP Rick Porcello, LHP Eduardo Rodriguez.

Toughest omission: RHP Doug Fister.

Breakdown: Two weeks ago, Fister was making a good case to be the No. 3 starter. Now he could be out. The righthander has allowed 11 earned runs on 10 hits and six walks over six innings in his last two starts.

Fister also has a 9.69 ERA in the first two innings. Falling behind early in a playoff game is a disaster. Can the Sox risk that?

Rodriguez has a 2.55 ERA in three starts this month and opponents have hit .212. He’s surging at the right time.

Fister can pitch his way back onto the roster in the final 10 games and Rodriguez could pitch his way off. The loser of this battle likely does not go to the bullpen.

Feel free to ignore Porcello’s 17 losses. They’re largely a function of run support, although he has pitched poorly a number of times. Porcello has a 3.76 ERA since July 1 and gone at least six innings in 10 of his last 14 starts.

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Bullpen (8): RHP Craig Kimbrel, RHP Addison Reed, LHP David Price, RHP Joe Kelly, LHP Robby Scott, RHP Matt Barnes, RHP Brandon Workman, RHP Carson Smith.

Toughest omissions: LHP Fernando Abad, RHP Blaine Boyer, RHP Heath Hembree, RHP Austin Maddox.

Breakdown: Farrell has some difficult conversations ahead regardless of how it breaks down. The Sox have 12 legitimate candidates now that Price is in the bullpen.

“Without question,” Farrell said when asked if this is the deepest group he’s had to pick from before a playoff series. “It’s the depth of the power of the arms and the strikeout ability.”

An extra reliever is important given that Pomeranz and Rodriguez have primarily been six-inning starters this season. Farrell also will want to use Kimbrel for one inning to whatever degree possible.

Smith has made only five appearances and three weeks ago the only goal the Sox had for him was to finish the season healthy after missing essentially two seasons because of elbow surgery. But he has shown he still has an almost unhittable slider and there’s enough velocity with his fastball.

That Smith was used in back-to-back games on Monday and Tuesday suggests Farrell was prepping him for October.

Smith’s slider also represents a different look out of the bullpen from all the fastball-reliant righthanders they have.

Boyer is riding a streak of eight scoreless innings and Hembree has allowed one run in his last six. Abad has a solid 1.16 WHIP on the season and 2.6 walks her nine. But all three have been generally low-leverage relievers.

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Maddox is in the same position Scott was last season. He has been impressive in September and unexpectedly made himself an option. But the Sox did not choose Scott last season.

The final spot in the bullpen probably won’t make or break the series. But it will make for some hard feelings among those left out.

Austin Maddox has yet to allow a run in 11 appearances with the Red Sox.Jessica Rinaldi/Globe staff/file

Peter Abraham can be reached at pabraham@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @PeteAbe.