​In Shohei Ohtani’s milestone moment on Tuesday, when he became the first Japanese player to reach 300 MLB home runs, the Dodgers also made news by placing two of their own on the radar for the All-Star picks. They earned the distinction of having the first National League All-Star voter this year, and they still harbor hopes of a late roster addition as the season unfolds.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has been actively lobbying for two members of his pitching staff to be named replacement players: left-handed starter Justin Wrobleski and left-handed reliever Tanner Scott. “There’s going to be some changes and some talks here,” Roberts said before the Dodgers’ 4-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. “There’s continual talks about both guys.” Earlier Tuesday, MLB announced replacements for three NL pitchers who won’t be eligible to appear in the All-Star Game. Pittsburgh’s Braxton Ashcraft, Philadelphia’s Jesús Luzardo, and St. Louis’ Riley O’Brien claimed spots as Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes, Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski, and Miami’s Max Meyer bowed out.
Movement on the All-Star roster is expected to continue, particularly on the pitching side, given rotation schedules that constrain which starters can participate. For example, Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto is lined up to start Saturday, which could make him unavailable for next Tuesday’s All-Star Game. That situation could open the door for Wrobleski and Scott.
Roberts made his case for Wrobleski by highlighting his 2.69 ERA after seven innings of one-run ball against the Rockies, his average of more than six innings per start, and his 10 wins. “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,” Roberts said. “I just think that he’s performed enough to earn that opportunity. And also, Tanner had a rough one [Monday], but I still think that … he’s one of the elite relievers in the National League.”
As for Scott, after suffering just his second blown save on Monday, he found little opportunity to prove otherwise on Tuesday, despite his 12 saves and 2.70 ERA this season. Wrobleski, meanwhile, built on a standout performance. He remained true to his pitching identity—attacking the zone and inducing weak contact—which yielded six hits and nine strikeouts over seven strong innings. The lone run against him came on a sixth-inning groundout with runners at the corners.
The moment also carried a touch of theater for Wrobleski. In a nod to his growing reputation, nicknamed “The Shark” by Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martínez, the Dodgers’ home stadium organist Dieter Ruehle played a brief snippet of the Jaws theme as Wrobleski tallied another strikeout and again as he exited the mound for the final time. Wrobleski’s seven-inning performance anchored a night that otherwise belonged to Ohtani’s historic milestone and the ongoing All-Star conversations.
After the game, Wrobleski reflected on the experience, soaking in the moment in the dugout where teammates offered hugs and handshakes. The atmosphere underscored a season that has featured both franchise-defining performances and the shifting plans of an All-Star roster that remains under construction as the Dodgers weigh their best options for the midseason showcase.