Justin Wrobleski set for four-day rest start against Rays
Justin Wrobleski is set to take the mound Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Rays at Dodger Stadium on four days rest. The Dodgers left-hander left his previous start in Pittsburgh early, but he has been one of the team’s steadiest innings eaters this season.
Dodgers turn to Wrobleski
Wrobleski threw 4 2/3 innings last Thursday before a four-run fifth inning and a comebacker off his right hamstring ended his night early. It was the first time in 11 starts this season that he did not get through five innings.
That is the only real change in his workload pattern. He is second on the Dodgers with 73 1/3 innings, has averaged 6.3 innings per start, and has gone at least six innings eight times in 11 starts. He also has four starts of at least seven innings, behind only Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the team.
Los Angeles rotation pace
The assignment comes from a rotation that has stretched games better than most clubs. The Dodgers’ six-man rotation has averaged 5.75 innings in its real starts this season and has a 3.13 ERA in those outings.
Eric Lauer carried that pattern forward Monday in the series opener against the Rays, completing six innings after allowing two runs in the first inning and one run in the second. He has two quality starts in four starts with the Dodgers, and the club leads the majors with 41 quality starts this season.
Quality starts drive results
Wrobleski has seven quality starts this season, and the Dodgers have won six of them. The team is 29-12 in games it gets a quality start, which has helped keep the staff on track even while the club has alternated wins and losses in its last nine games.
Los Angeles has not put together consecutive wins since June 5-6 against the Angels, and it has not had a losing streak since dropping four straight from May 9-12. Tommy Edman was back with the Dodgers on Tuesday, Teoscar Hernández might start a minor league rehab assignment this coming weekend, and Shohei Ohtani is expected to start this weekend after missing Friday’s game with left knee inflammation. Wrobleski’s turn gives the Dodgers another chance to lean on a starter who has repeatedly carried innings, even with the shorter turnaround.
