GLENDALE, Ariz. — With uncertainty surrounding left-hander Blake Snell‘s readiness for Opening Day, the Dodgers are assessing their options to fill his spot in the rotation. One of the top arms in the mix is fellow southpaw Justin Wrobleski.
The Dodgers have yet to rule Snell out for Opening Day, but his progress has been minimal as he slow-plays his throwing progression due to lingering left shoulder discomfort early in the offseason. He is playing catch out to about 90 feet, whereas the five others in the projected season-opening rotation have already faced hitters at least once.
There are several boxes to check in a limited amount of time, and the Dodgers aren’t going to rush the process in order to get Snell in a big league game in April. They want to do things the right way on the front end so that he can be a factor in October.
“With Blake,” manager Dave Roberts said, “it’s a wait-and-see.”
L.A. has a wealth of starting-pitching depth, and Wrobleski put himself near the top of the list after a successful stint pitching in relief.
Wrobleski, 25, began last year on an inauspicious note after giving up eight runs in five innings in an April spot start against the Nationals. But after a few months of going back and forth between Triple-A and the Majors, Wrobleski was able to stick with the Dodgers from late July through the end of the season, primarily pitching in long relief. He posted a 4.32 ERA in 66 2/3 innings across 24 appearances, also recording a 2.92 FIP.
In the World Series, Wrobleski emerged as one of the few bullpen arms that Roberts could trust. He was on the roster in every postseason series but did not make it into a game until Game 1 in Toronto, when he tossed the first of his five scoreless innings in the seven-game series. That included appearances in must-win Games 6 and 7.
“It’s great to see that the organization and Doc and everybody here trusts me in those big spots. It definitely gives you confidence moving forward,” Wrobleski said Thursday. “Knowing that you can do it in the biggest spots makes it a little different going into the regular season. But I think at the end of the day, even those games, you try to treat everything the same.”
That is more or less Wrobleski’s philosophy regarding his role in 2026. Whether he starts or relieves, his focus is on getting outs and executing the things he can control. His extended stay with the Dodgers at the end of last season allowed him to figure out what he needs to do to be successful at the big league level, and he will take that information into whatever role the Dodgers need from him.
That is one way the team saw him grow last year.
“I think his ability to grow and mature and learn how to harness his stuff and compete in those moments will serve him well as he tries to navigate a lineup two, three times,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “He’ll certainly be a candidate. He was also so good out of the ‘pen, we have to weigh that.”
Beyond Snell’s status, another question impacting the rotation is how stretched out Shohei Ohtani will be as a pitcher by Opening Day. While the Dodgers aren’t looking to ramp him up as gradually as they did last year, he will likely be limited innings-wise to start the season.
That’s where Wrobleski’s versatility could also help him win an Opening Day roster spot over fellow candidates Gavin Stone and River Ryan, who have not pitched in affiliated games since 2024 due to major surgeries. Wrobleski has far more relief experience, and if Ohtani is limited to two or three innings at the season’s onset, Wrobleski could pitch in bulk behind him.
“If I’m prepared for multiple innings, if I’m prepared as a starter, then I can always do whatever,” Wrobleski said. “I think it’s just be ready for whatever gets thrown my way.”
