Dave Roberts Explains Why Justin Wrobleski Should Be All-Star

Justin Wrobleski has been one of the best pitchers in the National League this year, but he is not an All-Star.

Despite having the eighth-best ERA in baseball and playing a huge role in the Los Angeles Dodgers having the most wins in baseball, Wrobleski was passed over for All-Star honors. One of the biggest knocks on him compared to other pitchers is how many games he’s started, but the quality of his starts should outweigh the number.

“We run a six-man rotation, and I just don’t want him to get dinged for not making a couple more starts that he potentially could have had,” manager Dave Roberts said on Tuesday. “He’s won 10 games for us. To be able to get pitching decisions, you’ve got to go deeper in games. It’s about winning, the ERA is stellar, innings per outing and so I just think that he’s performed enough to earn that opportunity.”

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On Tuesday, Braxton Ashcraft and Jesús Luzardo were named replacements for the All-Star Game. The two starting pitchers are also deserving of the nod, but both have made two more appearances than Wrobleski. Despite that, Wrobleski is less than 10 innings of work behind both of them.

The Dodgers’ usage of a six-man rotation is something most teams avoid, and it seems to be working against Wrobleski. Regardless, he has put up great numbers every time he has had the opportunity. He came into the seaosn with a 4.81 ERA and just eight starts. He has taken a huge step and accepted a critical role on a team looking to three-peat.

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