Dave Roberts said on July 20, 2026, that the Los Angeles Dodgers will closely manage Justin Wrobleski's workload in the second half of the season following his All-Star Game appearance. "We're going to keep an eye on him. He's obviously a huge piece of what we're doing," Roberts said during a press conference.
Roberts noted that the Dodgers are using a six-man rotation as they aim to play through October. "We're still looking to play through October. So, got to be mindful of the workload," he said. He explained that the six-man approach has helped manage pitcher workloads through regular conversations about how each pitcher is feeling, saying the staff reaches out to "manage how he's looking, how he's feeling" through ongoing dialogue with the six pitchers in the rotation.
Roberts noted that Wrobleski's All-Star selection came after a strong first half of the season, adding that the honor gives him a chance to recover before returning to the second-half grind. He also described Wrobleski's outing at the All-Star Game, where he gave up a home run to a former teammate but still found levity in the moment. "It was funny because he was still competing but still had a little levity and could enjoy the moment," Roberts said, noting that Wrobleski treated facing the game's best hitters as a challenge and did not run from it.
Roberts also addressed catcher Rushing's absence, explaining that Rushing was given a mental reset day after a heavy stretch of games. According to Roberts, Rushing caught a doubleheader and played in three of the last four games. "So just to give him today, to give him that mental reset to then get back tomorrow," Roberts said.
Turning to catcher Alfonso, Roberts mentioned that his confidence in the young player stems partly from having played alongside Alfonso's father, whom he described as a good baseball man who raised his son to be a catcher. Roberts added that Alfonso assimilated well during spring training despite never having been in camp before, which reinforced his trust in the young catcher.
Roberts said the Dodgers will continue monitoring Wrobleski's innings within the six-man rotation as the club manages its pitching staff through the stretch toward October.