The Los Angeles Dodgers have announced their transactions for September. For their extra pitcher, the club has activated Justin Wrobleski from the 15-day injured list.
This comes as part of a six-player transaction that includes catchers Will Smith and Dalton Rushing also coming off the injured list. Outfielder Alek Thomas has been optioned to Triple-A, and catcher Ben Rortvedt has been designated for assignment.
Wrobleski figures to play an important role on the Dodgers’ pitching staff. The club will be able to carry an extra pitcher for the final 27 days of the season, with rosters expanding to 28 players.
That gives the team some flexibility in how to deploy their best pitchers ahead of the postseason. Most of the roles with the rotation and bullpen are relatively set, but they could figure out something for Wrobleski.
Justin Wrobleski Activated from 15-Day IL Before Cardinals Series
The Dodgers are getting healthy on their pitching staff in the season’s final month. Justin Wrobleski becomes the latest pitcher to come off the injured list.
The left-hander played a critical role in helping the club navigate injuries to the rotation. On the season, he owns a 3.56 ERA and a 19.4% strikeout rate across 126.1 innings. He was named a National League All-Star in 2026.
But a string of poor starts after the All-Star break drew concerns from the Dodgers. His velocity was down, and the left-hander became more home run-prone. That led to a stint on the injured list after imaging revealed forearm inflammation. Ultimately, that’s all it came to be.
His last rehab outing came on August 29. He only threw 30 pitches in his rehab appearance with Triple-A Oklahoma City. With that appearance in the rearview mirror, he was closing in on a return when rosters expanded to 14 pitchers on September 1.
What the Justin Wrobleski News Means for the Dodgers
Justin Wrobleski won’t return to the starting rotation, however. Given that Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell are off the injured list, it makes sense to move the 26-year-old to a relief role sooner rather than later. That way, he can grow comfortable in his intended postseason role.
The Dodgers are also considering the viability of getting Shohei Ohtani back on a mound again this season. Given that the team already has four healthy postseason starters available, it’s more of a luxury decision.
If not, the Dodgers can go into the postseason with a four-man rotation of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, and Tarik Skubal. That’s four Cy Young Awards and a World Series MVP’s worth of experience.
Where the Dodgers can use Wrobleski is as a multi-inning arm. He’d be a useful bridge arm between the rotation and the back of the bullpen. The left-hander pitched in four of the team’s seven World Series games last postseason, so he has prior experience on the biggest stage in MLB.
Dodgers Make Justin Wrobleski Announcement Amid Roster Expansion