LOS ANGELES — Navigating a turbulent stretch defined by a wave of injuries, sudden lineup changes, and physical attrition, the Los Angeles Dodgers are set to make yet another critical adjustment to their starting rotation. As they prepare for the series finale against the visiting Washington Nationals on Sunday night at Dodger Stadium, manager Dave Roberts and his coaching staff are looking to stabilize a heavily taxed roster.
The most prominent move for the National League West powerhouse involves the return of standout pitcher Justin Wrobleski. The left-hander, who earned National League All-Star honors earlier this season, is slated to take the mound for his return to the starting rotation. Wrobleski’s journey back to this spot has been anything but linear. Holding an 11-5 record with a 3.65 ERA, he was initially bumped from the starting five last month when veterans Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow returned from the injured list. Shortly after being removed from the rotation, Wrobleski was himself forced onto the injured list on August 16 due to lingering forearm discomfort.
Since then, the Dodgers have worked to ease him back into high-leverage major league action. Wrobleski made a brief relief appearance during Tuesday night’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals, entering in the seventh inning and allowing three runs—two of them earned—across two frames in a tough 13-8 loss. Historical context also looms large for the young left-hander as he prepares to face Washington; in his lone career start against the Nationals last season, Wrobleski endured a difficult outing, getting tagged for eight runs on eight hits over five innings. Nevertheless, the Dodgers find themselves in a position where they desperately need stability from their pitching staff, and the coaching staff is eager to see Wrobleski reclaim the form that earned him mid-summer classic recognition.
While Wrobleski’s return offers a welcomed boost to the pitching depth, the Dodgers’ position player group remains battered and heavily scrutinized. Los Angeles enters Sunday’s matchup boasting an 85-57 record, but they have had to navigate the last three games without global superstar Shohei Ohtani. The two-way phenom has been sidelined while dealing with a combination of right biceps, neck, and left knee injuries.
The physical toll has not stopped with Ohtani. On Saturday, the Dodgers anticipated inserting Dalton Rushing into the designated hitter role to help cover for Ohtani’s absence, but those plans were abruptly scrapped when Rushing became a late scratch due to lingering elbow discomfort. The injury bug has bitten nearly the entire core of the clubhouse. Veteran first baseman Freddie Freeman was given a scheduled day of rest on Friday, while catcher Will Smith was relegated to bench duties on Saturday. Max Muncy was also scratched from the Saturday lineup due to an unexpected illness. Furthermore, manager Dave Roberts noted that regular contributors Tommy Edman, Teoscar Hernandez, and Mookie Betts are all due for scheduled days off in the near future to combat fatigue as the grueling regular-season stretch winds down.
Despite the continuous shuffling and a depleted bench, the Dodgers’ depth has continually risen to the occasion. That resilience was on full display Saturday night, when Tommy Edman stepped into the hero’s spotlight. Edman delivered a dramatic, go-ahead three-run home run in the seventh inning, lifting Los Angeles to a hard-fought 6-5 victory over the Nationals. Meanwhile, Teoscar Hernandez contributed cleanly from the designated hitter spot, driving in a run with a sharp single.
For Ohtani, the road to recovery is being monitored carefully on a day-to-day basis. The superstar took significant steps forward on Saturday by taking swings in an indoor batting cage for the first time in three days. As the Dodgers weigh their options ahead of Sunday’s game, a critical roster decision looms. If the team ultimately decides to place Ohtani on the injured list on Sunday, league rules dictate a minimum stay of 15 days, a requirement mandated specifically for pitchers and designated two-way players.
“I think the main thing with keeping Ohtani on the active roster is his health,” Roberts explained regarding the careful balancing act. “That’s the most important thing. And then we can find ways to log at-bats to get him up to speed. So I think that’s kind of where all of our heads are at.”
While the Dodgers attempt to manage their walking wounded, the visiting Washington Nationals enter Sunday’s contest looking to snap a three-game losing skid. Standing at 67-77 on the season, Washington has experienced its own share of roster disruptions throughout the year, but they have recently welcomed back key pieces to their lineup.
Among them is outfielder James Wood, who contributed a single and a run scored for the Nationals during Saturday’s narrow defeat. Wood has made an immediate impact since returning to the field following a month-long absence due to a left oblique strain. Impressively, Wood has recorded at least one hit in all three games since his reinstatement, seamlessly picking up where he left off before the injury interruption.
“When you have an extended period of time like he had injured, you worry about the timing,” Nationals manager Blake Butera remarked to MLB.com regarding Wood’s rapid readjustment. “But he’s done a nice job, especially as he’s gotten more at-bats since he’s been back, looking comfortable all the time.”
Wood’s comfort level against Dodger pitching is well-documented. Across 11 career games against Los Angeles, the young outfielder has racked up five home runs, 12 RBIs, and 10 runs scored, making him a dangerous focal point of the Nationals’ batting order that Wrobleski and the Dodgers pitching staff will have to navigate carefully.
The Nationals also welcomed back catcher Keibert Ruiz on Saturday. Ruiz turned in a strong performance, collecting two hits and driving in an RBI just days after a scary incident on Wednesday when he was struck in the catcher’s mask by a foul ball. For Ruiz, playing at Dodger Stadium carries an extra layer of familiarity; the catcher is a former Dodgers prospect who was originally signed and developed in the Los Angeles organization before being traded to Washington in the blockbuster 2021 deadline deal.
Looking to secure a victory in the series finale, Washington is scheduled to hand the ball to left-hander Andrew Alvarez. The 2-6 pitcher enters the matchup carrying a solid 3.47 ERA and is riding the momentum of the finest start of his major league career. Last Sunday, Alvarez stifled the Miami Marlins by tossing six scoreless innings to pick up a dominant victory. Sunday night’s assignment, however, holds personal significance for the young left-hander. It will mark Alvarez’s first career start at Dodger Stadium, a venue located less than 30 miles north of his hometown of Los Alamitos, California.
As the Dodgers seek to maintain their winning ways despite a depleted lineup and the Nationals fight to break their losing streak, the series finale promises a compelling tactical battle under the lights at Dodger Stadium, featuring two pitchers eager to prove themselves on the big stage.