Justin Wrobleski keeps stacking quality starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the latest one only added to a season that’s already turning into a breakout.
The left-hander improved to 11-2 after holding the Philadelphia Phillies to one run and five hits over 6.1 innings last Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park. It was another sharp outing in a year where Wrobleski has taken full advantage of his expanded role.
The Dodgers, though, are also keeping one eye on the bigger picture. As they start mapping things out for the postseason, Wrobleski’s workload figures to be managed to some degree. He doesn’t sound worried about it, and he made it clear he trusts the people making those decisions.
“At the end of the day they’re going to do what’s best for me and my career,” Wrobleski said on SportsNet LA. “I trust this organization and these people. My job is always to go out there and give them whatever they need from me that day, pitch until they take the ball away from me.”
His outing against Philadelphia ended after 89 pitches, and he’s now at 106.2 innings across 17 games, including 16 starts, this season. That total is already closing in on - and likely past - the workload he handled last year, when he logged 123.1 innings between Triple-A Oklahoma and the Dodgers, postseason included.
Even with the team planning to ease off a bit, Wrobleski said he feels strong and believes his body is built for this kind of season.
“I feel good. I feel solid,” Wrobleski said. “My workload, I guess publicly, is probably a little different to what it actually is internally with our organization because I threw during the playoffs last year and the year before.
“Throwing innings on backfields and stuff like that, I think my body is ready to handle this normal workload. I feel good. I think it’s just another thing where you’ve got to listen to your body.
“I might be making a call to [Clayton Kershaw] here in a couple days to try and figure out how he did it for so long of throwing 200 (innings) a year. But no, I think just try to lean on everybody in this organization and figure out how to manage my body the best I can to stay healthy.”
Wrobleski and Kershaw have built a close relationship over the years, and Dave Roberts already drew a comparison between the two left-handers earlier this season.
Tuesday’s start also came with a little extra meaning for Wrobleski. It was his return to Citizens Bank Park just one week after making his All-Star debut there, and he said the setting made the night even more enjoyable.
“It was fun. I think anytime you get to pitch in these kind of ballparks, it’s fun,” Wrobleski said of quickly returning to Citizens Bank Park.
“It’s a good time. For me, going up against (Zack) Wheeler was pretty cool.
I think he’s a really good pitcher.
“It’s super fun to have those matchups, and then it was raining, so on top of that just try to battle the elements. It was fun.
Just a little adversity out there. I had a good time.
It was fun.”
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