Justin Wrobleski’s Rise with the Dodgers

Towards the end of last year, Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior reached out to young lefty Justin Wrobleski.

It seemed like a standard debrief that wrapped up on an encouraging note.

Most of their discussion centered around Wrobleski’s performance for the 2025 season. The 25-year-old had begun to find his footing in the majors, contributing effectively as a versatile option in the Dodgers’ bullpen.

However, as the conversation shifted toward 2026, Wrobleski shared some of his aspirations.

He felt he was ready to step up as a solid starter in MLB and wanted the chance to prove it.

“One of the best things about this organization,” Wrobleski remarked, “is the open dialogue where I can share my thoughts.”

Yet, as winter unfolded, Wrobleski realized his position with the team was a bit uncertain. The Dodgers boasted four Cy Young Award-winning pitchers: Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, and Tyler Glasnow. They also planned to reintegrate Aki Sasaki into the starting rotation.

Among the newer players, Wrobleski wasn’t as established as the likes of Emmett Sheehan or Gavin Stone.

He was prepared to return to the bullpen if needed, but ideally, he wanted a brief opportunity to showcase his skills as a starter—just a few weeks to find a groove and demonstrate he could be more than just a multi-inning reliever.

This was something he made clear to Prior. He echoed this to his teammates throughout spring training.

“He wanted to test himself since he had a shot to start multiple times,” veteran shortstop Miguel Rojas noted.

A month into the season, it seemed that even four starts might be enough.

After initially pitching four innings in the bullpen, Wrobleski eventually stepped into a starting role as the Dodgers’ six-man rotation adjusted due to injuries affecting Snell, Stone, and others. What followed was a surprisingly dominant performance that caught everyone’s attention.

In his four starts, he threw 26 innings, giving up just two runs. His record stood at a perfect 4-0, placing him third in the majors.

If this continues, it’s hard to see the Dodgers moving him back to the bullpen, even with Snell’s return looming.

“A lot of young pitchers are searching for their identity,” manager Dave Roberts mentioned. “But Justin seems to have a clear sense of who he is as a pitcher.”

His latest outing was particularly impressive—a 6-0 victory against the Cubs where he pitched six scoreless innings, even on an off day. Initially, Wrobleski struggled with his command, allowing traffic on the bases. He faced two runners without outs in the first and navigated a bases-loaded situation in the second, needing 51 pitches—an early exit looked likely.

“Honestly, early on, I didn’t see how he’d pitch six shutouts,” Roberts admitted.

However, before heading back for the third inning, Wrobleski worked with Prior and catcher Dalton Rushing to adjust their strategy.

“Mark told us to stop forcing it,” Rushing later explained.

This adjustment proved pivotal for Wrobleski. He limited the Cubs to just four more base runners the rest of the game, finishing with a season-high six strikeouts across 109 pitches.

“It’s a bit frustrating because if those first two innings had gone differently, I might have pitched deeper into the game,” Wrobleski reflected afterward. Notably, he had previously thrown eight scoreless innings against the Mets. “But facing adversity today was good…just making the right pitches when needed.”

He adopted a somewhat traditional approach, challenging hitters and working efficiently. His strategy generated a lot of soft contact, with his average ball velocity being in the league’s 70th percentile.

The early results have been promising. Despite lower strikeout rates, opposing hitters maintained a mere .172 batting average against him since joining the rotation.

When asked recently about his intention to stay in the rotation, Wrobleski redirected to what he could control: “We need to focus on attacking hitters and staying in the zone,” adding gratitude for the opportunity he’s been given.

“There are many people who would love to be in my position,” he acknowledged. “We’re just trying to put on a show here at Dodger Stadium for our fans and the whole team.”

For now, it’s about making the most of his chances. After expressing his ambitions to the Dodgers, he hasn’t wasted the opportunity.