Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski made history during his two-inning relief appearance in the 96th Major League Baseball All-Star Game on Tuesday night, striking out five batters. This performance tied a franchise record for the Dodgers and was a feat not accomplished in an All-Star Game since Pedro Martínez in 1999, who also struck out five.
Wrobleski, nicknamed “The Shark” by Martínez earlier this season, showcased his dominant pitching at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, contributing to a rare highlight in the National League’s 4-0 loss. He struck out the side in the seventh inning, including a 97 mph fastball past Yandy Díaz. After allowing a solo home run to former minor league teammate Miguel Vargas in the eighth, Wrobleski rebounded with two more strikeouts to reach the five-strikeout mark.
Despite the impressive outing, Wrobleski focused on the home run allowed. "Except for [that] I gave up a home run,” he said. “That’s what’s on my mind right now." He added that he was happy for Vargas but wished the home run hadn’t been off him.
The All-Star appearance marked another milestone in Wrobleski’s breakout season and coincided with his 26th birthday. "I’m super blessed and lucky to have the chance to do this," Wrobleski said. "There’s not many guys in history that have had that chance. So pretty cool to play on my birthday. My family’s here. Got to talk to them all day. And yeah, it was super fun."
Wrobleski’s journey to the All-Star Game is an underdog story. Last year, he was in the minor leagues working on his pitch arsenal. By the end of the season, he had earned a spot in the bullpen and pitched in the World Series. Despite this, he entered the 2026 season seemingly on the outside of the Dodgers’ rotation plans.
Since getting an opportunity to start early in the season, the former 11th-round draft pick has emerged as one of baseball's most effective pitchers, holding a 10-2 record with a 2.69 ERA in the first half of the campaign, ranking seventh in the National League. Wrobleski has consistently believed in his abilities, overcoming a college career that involved three schools and Tommy John surgery before he was drafted.
"For whatever reason, I’ve always believed I could do it," he stated. "Even when it doesn’t look like it’s been something that’s possible, or hasn’t looked like this dream is going to work out, I’ve always had the belief that God’s given me the talent, and I have the ability to be able to do all this stuff. And it’s great to –– not fulfill that –– but prove that I can be really good at the major league level."
Ironically, Wrobleski's earlier season success was often attributed to inducing soft contact rather than strikeouts. However, in recent weeks, he has demonstrated improved velocity on his fastball and more effectiveness with his secondary pitches. This development was evident in his last-second All-Star selection, following starts where he recorded 11 strikeouts against the Athletics and nine against the Rockies.
"I’ve been kind of learning and continuing to grow and figure out how to strike guys out and where I can go for a miss," Wrobleski explained. "Obviously, in a situation like this, guys are gonna swing a little bit more. But yeah, I made some good pitches today, I got some strikeouts and hopefully can build off that in the second half."
He has also embraced the "The Shark" nickname, even revealing a shark embroidered on the inside of his custom jacket for the All-Star red carpet. "We’re trying to roll with it," he joked. "The people seem to like it."