Prior to an expected return to the bullpen, Justin Wrobleski is headed to the injured list.
The Dodgers announced on Sunday that Wrobleski is being placed on the 15-day injured list with left forearm inflammation. Wrobleski pitched six innings in a start on Saturday, giving up four earned runs in a 4-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.
Details about Wrobleski’s injury and a timeline to return weren’t initially clear. With Saturday’s game, Wrobleski reached 126 1/3 innings pitched, nearly twice his previous career-high tally of 66 2/3 set in 2025.
Wrobleski, 26, is in the midst of a breakout season in his third MLB campaign. Primarily a reliever in his first two seasons, Wrobleski moved into the starting rotation this season and earned his first All-Star selection.
Does inflammation account for Wrobleski’s recent struggles?
But his performance has faded in recent starts. Wrobleski’s allowed 19 runs across 19 2/3 innings in his last four starts. He’s allowed 11 home runs in those four starts, each of which resulted in Dodgers losses.
He allowed two home runs in Saturday’s loss to Milwaukee that allowed the Brewers (76-48) to increase their lead over the Dodgers (74-50) for the best record in the National League.
Amid those struggles and a bolstered Dodgers rotation, manager Dave Roberts said before Saturday’s game that he expected to move Wrobleski back to the bullpen “at some point in time.”
The anticipated move is as much about a loaded Dodgers rotation that’s getting healthy as Wrobleski’s performance.
Wrobleski’s next pitch could come out of bullpen
The Dodgers added two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline. Fellow two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell (elbow) returned to game action last week for his first start since May and just his second of the season. He struck out 10 and allowed just one run in six innings.
Former All-Star Tyler Glasnow, meanwhile, pitched his third rehab start from a back injury on Saturday and is expected to return to the rotation soon. Reigning World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto continues to pitch at an All-Star level, and Eric Lauer and Roki Sasaki have been regular starters in the Los Angeles rotation.
This is all before the expected pitching return of two-way superstar Shoehei Ohtani, who was in Cy Young contention before knee issues forced him out of the rotation in July.
It all adds up to a stacked and full Dodgers rotation. Assuming that Wrobleski does return to the roster this season, his next pitch and role in the postseason very likely could be in relief.