Dodgers' curious Justin Wrobleski decision shows they're keeping options wide open

With Blake Snell likely headed to the IL to start the season, the Dodgers have at least one rotation spot up for grabs — maybe two, if they actually go to a six-man rotation like they've wanted to over the past few seasons.

Snell being out to start the year would be disastrous for most other teams, but for the Dodgers it's almost ... a good thing? If Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, and Tyler Glasnow are healthy, LA is fine, and Snell's injury will allow them to give some promising young arms some well-deserved innings at the beginning of the season.

Emmet Sheehan, Gavin Stone, and River Ryan have been hyped as the frontrunners in this particular battle, with Sheehan basically guaranteed a spot after his work last season. There are a myriad others, but Sheehan, Stone, and Ryan figure to be the main contenders.

But the Dodgers are keeping their options open and are giving all of them equal opportunity to duke it out in spring training. Justin Wrobleski, who fans have figured would transition into a bullpen role full-time this season, is treating his ramp-up in spring training like a starter would.

Justin Wrobleski is a sleeper candidate for Dodgers' expanded rotation plans in 2026

Katie Woo of The Athletic wrote that, "Sheehan figures to make the rotation out of camp. Wrobleski could as well, though it's more likely he'll be used in a hybrid role or as a sixth starter."

That's news to Dodgers fans, especially when there's no mention of how Stone or Ryan might factor in. Stone's chances do look slim now that he's experiencing a "setback" with the shoulder he underwent surgery on in 2024, but Ryan's 1.33 ERA in his first four starts and all of the offseason hype has suggested to fans that he would've been the primary beneficiary of Stone slowing down.

But the Dodgers do know what they're getting from Wrobleski, while Ryan is far more of a wild card. The former stayed healthy throughout 2025 and pitched 66 2/3 innings for a 4.32 ERA between multiple trips back to Oklahoma City. He started two games, pitched up to six innings on one occasion, and recorded two saves.

So a hybrid role has always made some sense, but a bonafide starter? Fans might be a little skeptical about that.

He's had an almost spotless spring training so far — three innings, just one hit. There's still a few weeks to go and whittling down to do, and the Dodgers aren't ruling anyone out yet.