Saturday, July 11, 2026

Copyrighted by Sarah Morris, 2026

Justin Wrobleski’s surprising breakout performance earned him an All-Star honor while his teammate Shohei Ohtani will skip the Game because of his problematic left knee.

When the season began, the Dodgers envisioned using Wrobleski as a long reliever when they didn’t need a sixth starter. Wrobleski was determined to remain in the rotation.

When Wrobleski needs a strikeout, he will get one but understands he needs to induce soft contact to get quick outs. He usually gives the bullpen a break.

Wrobleski deserves an All-Star honor with a record of 10-2 and an ERA of 2.69.  His last start against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday was dominant and would enable him to pitch in the Midsummer Classic.

Ohtani won’t make the trip to Philadelphia. On Sunday, he will have his left knee drained and receive a cortisone shot to calm the irritation. On Friday, he couldn’t make his scheduled start against the Arizona Diamondbacks even though he hit a first-inning home run.

The Dodgers hope Ohtani’s troublesome knee will not hamper him in the second half.