Wrobleski aims to get back to All-Star form as second-half struggles continue

LOS ANGELES – After absorbing Saturday’s 4-1 loss to the Brewers at Dodger Stadium, Justin Wrobleski will take some small wins as he tries to get his season back on track.

Wrobleski’s woes after the All-Star break continued as the Dodgers failed in their bid to tie for the top spot in the National League.

Wrobleski allowed two-run home runs to Joey Ortiz and William Contreras, and the left-hander has now allowed 11 homers over his last four starts after giving up eight in his first 16 outings (15 starts) in the first half.

And yet, it was not as if Wrobleski wants to completely expunge the effort from the record.

“Yeah, one pitch, maybe two if you count the first Contreras hit,” Wrobleski said.

That first Contreras hit was not his home run, but a single that broke an 0-for-20 drought. It led to a run when Ortiz went deep.

“The homer I gave up to [Contreras], he got a slider that's probably going to bounce and hit a homer on it, and you know, tip your cap, good swing,” Wrobleski said.

Wrobleski (11-5) allowed four runs on four hits over six innings with a walk and six strikeouts.

With 126 1/3 innings this season, Wrobleski moved past the 123 1/3 he had between Triple-A and the Dodgers last season, including the postseason. It is now his most since turning professional in 2022.

“If you would have told me I'd be at this innings count at this point, at the start of the year, I would have been pretty happy,” Wrobleski said. “You always want to kind of push that envelope and try to increase those innings each year. That way, you can be valuable and eat innings for the team and do your job.”

It can come with a price, though. The obvious concern is staying fresh over a long Major League season.

“Honestly, I think his average velocity is up,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I do know that the command hasn't been there. Balls that were getting hit at guys are going out of the ballpark. But I do think that simplifying his pitch mix, making better quality pitches will be helpful. He has thrown a lot, but I still feel like the stuff for me isn't ticking down.”

Wrobleski knows the value of pushing himself to the finish, although change will come soon enough.

“I feel all right,” he said. “It’s just part of a long season, part of something I got to get ready for, for years to come. Just trying to lean on people that have done it, and continue to try to take care of my body the best I can.”

With Tarik Skubal on board now, Blake Snell back from injury and Tyler Glasnow expected to be back by the end of the month, the Dodgers will have to make adjustments.

“At some point in time, he's going to go to the ’pen anyway,” Roberts said.

He was an All-Star as a starter, but Wrobleski will be ready for whatever role is next.

“Today I felt like I had my normal feel, and it just kind of clicked a little bit better for me, and everything was coming out good,” he said. “So, that was encouraging.”

Far from encouraging has been the offense, although they were up against National League Cy Young Award favorite Jacob Misiorowski on Saturday.

Shohei Ohtani had an RBI triple in the third inning, but the Dodgers’ offense was once again quiet. Misiorowski allowed one run on five hits over six innings, striking out six.

Despite 10 losses over their past 15 games, the Dodgers are still just two games behind the NL-leading Brewers with the finale of a four-game series on Sunday, when they send left-hander Tarik Skubal to the mound.

The Brewers are likely to be without left-hander Aaron Ashby after he threw two innings in relief. Milwaukee setup man Abner Uribe went on the injured list Friday.

“We knew it was going to be a tall task coming into the game,” Roberts said. “... We lost a ballgame, but we put ourselves in a position to split a series."

Potential playoff foes, the Dodgers and Brewers have each won three games in the season series.