LOS ANGELES — Going from Las Vegas to Oklahoma City to Los Angeles made for a busy travel week Justin Wrobleski, but the payoff was worth it, making his major league debut at Dodger Stadium on Sunday.
For someone who was in Double-A just three weeks ago, Wrobleski didn’t seem fazed, while also recognizing the opportunity.
“I wanted to make sure I really took it in, so kind of go out there and take a look around the stadium and be like, ‘Alright, there’s four decks there, that’s pretty cool,’” Wrobleski said Sunday. “Cool stadium here, but then it was just kind of right to work. So just kind of be thankful for it and then get to work. That was my viewpoint on it.”
Wrobleski held the Brewers scoreless for the first three innings, but two-run home runs by Christian Yelich and Eric Haase hung the loss on the left-hander, who still completed five innings, with four strikeouts.
“He was actually cruising as far as his pitch count. I liked his efficiency,” said manager Dave Roberts. “You just didn’t see any nerves, and he even said there were starts in Triple-A he’s felt more nervous than he felt today, which you don’t hear very often. But I think he meant it.
“He’s really sure of himself, as far as knowing who he is as a person, as a ballplayer. I’m really impressed with the way he carried himself today. The emotions didn’t get too much for him. I know his stuff plays here.”
“You never know what to expect in a big league debut, and I thought he handled it very nicely,” said first baseman Freddie Freeman. “He was poised on the mound, and he pounded the zone. That’s very impressive.”
The Dodgers called up Wrobleski to give the rest of the rotation extra rest, but this particular stint was for one start only. After the game, Wrobleski was told he’ll be optioned back to Triple-A, with the team calling up a relief pitcher for coverage during the upcoming series against the Phillies.
