Prior to Tuesday’s game against the Washington Nationals, the Los Angeles Dodgers made roster changes after Monday’s loss.
Justin Wrobleski was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City to start Tuesday’s game. To maintain the 26-man active roster, Matt Sauer was optioned back to Triple-A.
Roster Adjustments After Injuries & Losses
Left-handed pitcher Wrobleski will be taking Blake Snell’s spot in the rotation, as he was recently put on the injured list while struggling with inflammation in his throwing shoulder.
Snell, 32, has been working through shoulder pain for three weeks, and the Dodgers have officially shut him down from pitching for at least a week – as announced ahead of Tuesday’s game.
After Sauer was optioned to the minors following the Tokyo Series, he was recalled when Snell was placed on the injured list. In Monday’s game against the Nationals, he pitched 1.2 innings and allowed three hits and one earned run.
This isn’t the first time Wrobleski and Sauer have faced the same roster move. Wrobleski, 24, was part of the opening day roster against the Chicago Cubs, only to be optioned the next day to make room for Sauer.
The left-handed pitcher excelled during spring training, as he completed nine strikeouts in 9 ⅓ innings pitched in his 2025 Cactus League spring. He only allowed one walk against his 34 batters faced in the spring, and was brought on to the Dodgers’ travel roster before the team went to Japan for the Tokyo Series.
There, he pitched two scoreless innings with three strikeouts in the first exhibition game against the Yomiuri Giants. However, Tuesday’s game went a little differently.
Troubles Add to Dodgers’ Losing Skid
Wrobleski struggled from the start of the game and across his 5.0 innings pitched. He allowed eight earned runs, walked three, and struck out four, through 87 pitches thrown. To make matters worse, the team’s offense struggled to provide support, contributing to the 8-2 loss to the Nationals.
This start for Wrobleski differs greatly from his impressive outing for Triple-A Oklahoma City just last week, where he tossed 5.2 scoreless innings, striking out three batters and proving his dominance on the mound.
Unfortunately, his struggles in this appearance added to the Dodgers’ ongoing three-game losing streak. As a result, the team has now dropped to 9-4 on the season, after holding MLB’s strongest start to the 2025 season.
Wrobleski made his Major League debut in 2024, with a 5.70 ERA across eight games. He was drafted by Los Angeles in the 11th round of the 2021 First Year Player Draft out of Oklahoma State University, and has been in-and-out of Triple-A and the Major Leagues since his MLB debut last season.
The Dodgers need a win in Wednesday night’s game in the series finale against the Nationals, or they will face their first sweep of the season.
With Snell placed on the 15-day injured list, the Dodgers will call up right-handed pitcher Landon Knack from Triple-A Oklahoma City to start at the mound for Wednesday’s game. Knack, who has been performing well in the minors, will look to help the team bounce back and avoid a sweep in the series finale.
