The Dodgers built a commanding lead early — but one explosive inning flipped the entire game.
Still, one young pitcher may have quietly strengthened his case for a bigger role in Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Dodgers may have suffered an 11–7 spring training loss to the Oakland Athletics on Sunday, but the game revealed something far more intriguing than the final score.
A rising arm in the organization is continuing to turn heads.
Left-hander Justin Wrobleski delivered three scoreless innings, further fueling the growing belief inside Dodgers camp that he could play an important role when the regular season begins.
While exhibition games often revolve around experimentation and evaluation, Wrobleski’s performance looked anything but experimental.
It looked composed.
Confident.
Major-league ready.
A Pitcher Gaining Momentum
Facing the Athletics lineup in Mesa, Wrobleski showed why the Dodgers are seriously considering him for an early-season role.
Across three clean innings, the left-hander struck out three hitters while mixing his arsenal effectively. Two strikeouts came courtesy of his sharp slider, while another was finished off by a lively four-seam fastball.
The outing continued an impressive spring for the young pitcher, who has quietly emerged as one of the most intriguing arms competing for a spot on the Dodgers’ roster.
“I feel like the same guy,” Wrobleski said during an in-game interview with SportsNet LA’s Kirsten Watson. “I just have a little more experience. You can’t get experience until you get experience.”
The comment captured the mindset of a pitcher gaining confidence with every appearance.
Rotation Hope — or Secret Weapon?
Wrobleski is currently in the mix for a starting rotation opportunity, though the Dodgers may also consider using him as a bulk reliever early in the season.
Given the team’s deep pitching staff, versatility could be his biggest advantage.
If the Dodgers decide to manage innings carefully, a multi-inning reliever capable of stabilizing games could become extremely valuable.
And Wrobleski is proving he might be exactly that.
Early Firepower from the Dodgers
Before the game slipped away, Los Angeles came out swinging.
Andy Pages wasted little time igniting the offense, blasting a solo home run in the first inning to open the scoring.
Pages has been one of the hottest hitters in Dodgers camp this spring, and Sunday only added to his impressive numbers.
The young outfielder also added a single, bringing his total to eight extra-base hits in just 29 spring plate appearances.
Another standout performance came from Alex Call, who finished the day 2-for-3 with a home run and a two-run single, driving in three runs.
By the time the Dodgers completed their first four trips to the plate, they had built a commanding 7–0 lead.
But the Athletics had other plans.
A Teen Prospect Sparks the Comeback
Oakland’s comeback began with a name baseball fans may soon hear far more often.
Leo De Vries, the 19-year-old phenom ranked among the top prospects in baseball, delivered a stunning performance that completely shifted the momentum.
In the fourth inning, De Vries launched a two-run homer off Kyle Hurt.
An inning later, he delivered the game’s defining blow — a grand slam on Carson Hobbs’ second pitch, instantly erasing most of the Dodgers’ early advantage.
The explosive sequence transformed what had looked like a comfortable Dodgers victory into a tight battle.
Other Notable Performances
Several Dodgers pitchers still managed to shine despite the loss.
Towering 6-foot-10 right-hander Paul Gervase impressed again, striking out three hitters across 1⅓ scoreless innings.
Gervase has now struck out nine of the 28 batters he has faced this spring, an eye-opening 32.1% strikeout rate.
Meanwhile, veteran Nick Senzel reached base in all three of his plate appearances while starting at second base — his ninth start of the spring.
The Decisive Inning
Ultimately, the game slipped away in the eighth inning.
Jordan Weems, already coming off a difficult outing earlier in the week, surrendered four consecutive hits before allowing a two-run double, resulting in a four-run rally that sealed the Athletics’ comeback victory.
Spring training losses rarely define anything.
But the game offered valuable insight into several players fighting for roles.
The Real Story: Wrobleski’s Rise
Despite the defeat, the biggest takeaway for the Dodgers may have been the continued emergence of Justin Wrobleski.
Three scoreless innings.
Three strikeouts.
And growing confidence each time he steps on the mound.
If this trajectory continues, the Dodgers may have discovered a new weapon for the 2026 season.
And Sunday’s performance may only be the beginning.
Leave a Reply