Justin Wrobleski came just three outs from his first career shutout Monday night, but he has not quite earned the right to overrule his manager.
The Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander spoke honestly about his disappointment in not getting to finish his sterling, career-best performance in their 4-0 win over the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium.
Wrobleski threw eight shutout innings while allowing just two hits, his only two baserunners, and striking out two for his longest outing as a major leaguer. Still, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts replaced him with Tanner Scott for the ninth inning, which Scott cleaned up by helping Wrobleski claim his second win this season.
Led by their pitching, Dodgers won for the eighth time in their past 10 games and improved to 12-4 this year.
Justin Wrobleski has ‘Got to Earn’ the Ninth Inning
The Dodgers scored a run in the first inning, before Mets starter David Peterson even recorded an out, then boosted their lead to 4-0 on Andy Pages’ three-run homer in the third inning.
Wrobleski sailed from there. He didn’t give up a hit until the fifth inning and threw just 90 pitches in eight inning. He was flirting with a ‘Maddux’ — a shutout in fewer than 100 pitches — before Roberts ultimately called for Scott to face the Nos. 8, 9 and 1 hitters in the Mets lineup.
Cameras captured the conversation between Roberts, Wrobleski and LA pitching coach Mark Prior. Wrobleski admitted his disappointment while understanding he has a long way to go until he can start calling off his manager.
“I think it’s something that I’ve got to earn,” Wrobleski said. “If [Roberts] tells me right now that ‘I’m going with [Scott]’ then I trust him.”
The Dodgers Were Protecting Justin Wrobleski By Bringing in Tanner Scott
Wrobleski was efficient, which is the main reason why him pitching a complete game was even in play. But Roberts realized the toll that going to the dugout and back out to the mound was taking, even though he retired the Mets in 31 pitches over his final three innings.
“I think today, the decision for me was, he hasn’t gone more than five innings in a long time. So now you’re talking about the health of the player,” Roberts said. “There’s more to that [decision] than just pitch counts.
“For him to get up eight times, and throw the baseball the way he did, you can see the velocity start to go down, so I’m looking at his health.”
Wrobleski, who will turn 26 on July 14 and has made just 10 major-league starts, downplayed the conversation between his coaches. He also realized Roberts and Prior were trying to keep Wrobleski fresh and healthy for the season, which is only 10% old.
“It wasn’t like a big ‘oh, I want to go back out there,’” Wrobleski said. “I trust [Roberts], and at the same time I know they’re protecting me and keeping my best interest in mind, which we really appreciate from this organization as players.”
Roberts also didn’t want the budding controversy to interfere with Wrobleski’s career night.
“He had a heck of a ballgame,” Roberts said. “He was efficient. Those guys were swinging. But considering where the bullpen was at going into tonight, [it was a] huge lift.”
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