Justin

Wrobleski

Dodgers’ skipper Dave Roberts had mentioned that the team would likely add an extra bullpen arm at the expense of a position player, and that’s exactly what they did with Hyeseong Kim being left off of the roster. Everything else is exactly as it was for their Divisional Series against the Braves.

Wrobleski will not be an option for the Dodgers’ bullpen for the series against Atlanta, nor will fellow southpaw Jack Dreyer. Both could be options for Los Angeles if they advance to the NLCS to face the Brewers or Padres. Kris Bubic will be one of the left-handed relief options for Los Angeles with Dreyer and Wrobleski unavailable.

Wrobleski has allowed one run in 8 2/3 innings in his last five appearances. He’ll probably stick on the Dodgers roster as a middle relief option in the NLDS. An All-Star as a starter before spending some time on the IL and finishing the season in the pen, he’ll enter October 12-5 with a 3.66 ERA in 140 innings.

Brock Stewart opened Tuesday’s bullpen game for the Dodgers with a scoreless first inning. Justin Wrobleski followed with a scoreless second before the Dodgers put four runs on the board in the bottom of the frame, putting Wrobleski in line for the win. Only Kyle Hurt tossed more than one inning. The Dodgers used eight relievers, including Roki Sasaki, in a collective effort for Tuesday’s win.

The Dodgers couldn’t have asked for more from Wrobleski, who was always going to be on an abbreviated pitch count. The left-hander threw 72 percent of his pitches for strikes while posting a 16 percent swinging strike rate and 41 percent CSW. His four-seamer averaged 96.2 mph, and his sinker was 96.8, both of which are well above his season average. Obviously, he only threw 32 pitches in this one, but he seemed healthy after his earlier battle with forearm inflammation.

The Dodgers are bringing up Landon Knack from Triple-A to cover the bulk of the contest after burning through most of their bullpen after Blake Snell left Wednesday’s game after just one inning.

All of the runs came in the fourth, when Wrobleski gave up a homer and then four more hits before being pulled. The Dodgers would rather be using Wrobleski as a reliever right now, but between Shohei Ohtani’s setback and Roki Sasaki and Eric Lauer landing on the IL, they’re lacking alternatives. They might go to Gavin Stone in this spot next weekend, assuming that he’s healthy after being scratched from his last Triple-A outing.

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.