Despite what some are calling Major League Baseball's most significant All-Star Game snub of the season, the Los Angeles Dodgers are actively campaigning for pitcher Justin Wrobleski to be added to the National League roster. Manager Dave Roberts expressed his belief that Wrobleski has performed well enough to earn a spot in the upcoming midseason showcase.
Wrobleski, a third-year left-hander, has emerged as one of the Dodgers' top starters and a productive pitcher across MLB this season. His performance includes a 10-2 record with a 2.69 earned run average in 16 starts, ranking eighth-best among qualified National League pitchers. He is averaging over 6 1/3 innings per start and has completed at least seven innings in seven starts this year, a mark tied for fifth-most in the majors.
Roberts noted Wrobleski's significant improvement from a year ago when he was in the minor leagues. "To kind of look himself in the mirror and really be honest and say, ‘How can I get better to be a major league pitcher?’ … That is really impressive for a young player," Roberts said.
Wrobleski's strong season has drawn comparisons to Clayton Kershaw from Roberts and earned him the nickname "The Shark" from Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez. The stadium organist even played the theme from "Jaws" when he exited the mound after his recent outing against the Colorado Rockies.
Despite his accomplishments, Wrobleski described his All-Star snub as both "disappointing" and "frustrating." He hopes to gain more respect from peers and voters for potential future selections. There remains a possibility for him to be named as a replacement, as other players may opt out or become unavailable due to workload. Wrobleski is not scheduled to make another start before the first half concludes, making him available to pitch in the game.
However, he was not among the replacements announced Tuesday. Roberts hopes Wrobleski can use the perceived slight as motivation. "He has real compete, he has real belief in himself. And it’s not manufactured. I think it’s really authentic and who he is," Roberts stated.
In recent starts, Wrobleski has shown increased velocity, routinely hitting 96-97 mph with his fastball, and has nearly doubled his strikeout rate. He has recorded 42 strikeouts in his last 44 2/3 innings pitched, compared to 31 strikeouts in his first 55 2/3 innings. Wrobleski attributed his success to improved game awareness and pitch selection.
While acknowledging that Wrobleski ranks 25th in MLB in FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) and 34th in innings pitched due to the Dodgers' six-man rotation, Roberts remains firm in his assessment of the pitcher's overall performance. "He’s won 10 games for us … The ERA is stellar," Roberts said.