Justin Wrobleski can’t survive fourth versus Nats

Wrobleski, an All-Star starter this year, is expected to spend the rest of the season in the pen after missing the last two weeks with forearm inflammation. He allowed one run in 1 1/3 innings in his only rehab appearance for Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Wrobleski went on the IL six days ago with forearm inflammation, but he’s feeling better and threw a bullpen session today. The switch to the pen comes after he overtook his previous career high in innings and struggled in his last four starts, surrendering 19 earned runs over 19 2/3 innings. He could come off the IL in early September, but it looks he’ll be a two- or three-inning guy when it happens.

Wrobleski has struggled in each of his last three starts and it sounds like the forearm issue may have been partially to blame there. No word yet on how long the Dodgers expect him to be sidelined for. Kyle Hurt was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City in a corresponding move on Sunday.

It’s not saying much, but this was Wrobleski’s best start in his last four. He was an All-Star a month ago, but since moving to 11-2 with a 2.63 ERA on July 21, he’s gone 0-3 with an 8.69 ERA since. He should face the Pirates next week, but at this rate, he might not finish the season in the rotation.

Glasnow will have a rehab start on Friday and another after that, likely on next Wednesday, before being a candidate to come off the injured list. That would put him on track to start in the big leagues during the last week of August against the Braves or Tigers. Justin Wrobleski and Eric Lauer are candidates to move to the bullpen when Glasnow returns.

Wrobleski gave up six hits and three walks. The unearned run was his own fault, as he threw the ball into right field on Ryan Waldschmidt’s sac bunt in the second. Wrobleski, who overtook his previous career high for innings today, has allowed 15 earned runs and nine homers over 13 2/3 innings in his last three starts, taking his ERA from 2.62 to 3.44. Velocity hasn’t been an issue, but the Dodgers won’t just live with these results forever. If he’s not better against the Brewers next weekend, he might be looking at a role change or a demotion to Triple-A.

That means Tarik Skubal will be pushed back a day to make his home debut on Monday with Justin Wrobleski going in Sunday’s series finale against the Diamondbacks in Arizona. Snell has been shelved since undergoing the NanoScope procedure to remove loose bodies from his elbow back in May. He could wind up being a major difference maker for fantasy managers down the stretch.

Wrobleski has turned into a pumpkin since the All-Star break, allowing eight home runs across 16 2/3 innings, which has caused his ERA to balloon from 2.69 to 3.31 in the process. He allowed four round-trippers in this outing while striking out four and also issuing three walks. He’ll attempt to right the metaphorical ship when he faces the Diamondbacks on Sunday to wrap up a two-start week. The “unbeatable” Dodgers have suddenly lost a season-high four straight games, which sets quite a stage for Tarik Skubal’s impending debut at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night.

Wrobleski was hurt by the long ball on Tuesday. He surrendered a solo homer to Cal Raleigh in the second inning. Julio Rodríguez added a solo homer in the fourth, followed by a two-run shot by Rob Refsnyder. Dominic Canzone later got to Wrobleski for a solo homer in the sixth. Still, he managed to collect seven strikeouts over six innings of work. The 26-year-old left-hander will take a 2.88 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and an 87/21 K/BB ratio across 112 2/3 innings into a start against the Red Sox in Los Angeles on Sunday.

Wrobleski has turned in five quality starts and gone 5-0 in his last seven outings. He might wear down as he enters uncharted territory in terms of workload, but he’s just crushing it right now, and as much as his strikeout race has increased, there’s no writing it off as a fluke. He’ll face the Mariners next week.