Shohei Ohtani hits 300th homer, Justin Wrobleski

In Shohei Ohtani, who on Tuesday grew to become the first Japanese participant to hit 300 home runs in MLB, the Dodgers had the first National League All-Star voted in this 12 months.

They still have a likelihood for a late addition.

Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts has been lobbying for two members of his pitching employees to be named substitute gamers: left-handed starter Justin Wrobleski and left-handed reliever Tanner Scott.

“There’s going to be some changes and some talks here,” Roberts said before the Dodgers’ 4-3 loss against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. “There’s continual talks about both guys.”

Earlier Tuesday, MLB announced replacements for three NL pitchers who received’t be eligible to seem in the All-Star Game. Pittsburgh’s Braxton Ashcraft, Philadelphia’s Jesús Luzardo and St. Louis’ Riley O’Brien claimed spots as Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes, Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski and Miami’s Max Meyer bowed out.

“Obviously it’s disappointing,” Wrobleski said after holding the Rockies to one run through seven innings. “You want to be an All-Star. It’s something that, regardless of the year, whenever, it’s always a big deal. It’s something I wanted to do. It’s frustrating to not get that nod. But like I said before, it’s just more reason to try and keep getting better. Hopefully I can gain the respect of players and everybody else and maybe be in there next year.”

There ought to continue to be motion on the All-Star roster, particularly on the pitching aspect, with rotation schedules limiting which starters can take part. Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, for instance, is lined up to start Saturday, which can take him off the desk for the All-Star Game next Tuesday.

That might open the door for Wrobleski and Scott.

Asked to make his pitch for Wrobleski, Roberts pointed to his ERA (2.69, No. 8 among certified NL pitchers), average of more than six innings per start and 10 wins.

“We run a six-man rotation, and I just don’t want him to get dinged for not making a couple more starts that he potentially could have had,” Roberts said. “I just think that he’s performed enough to earn that opportunity.

“And also, Tanner had a rough one [Monday], but I still think that … he’s one of the elite relievers in the National League.”

Scott, after notching just his second blown save Monday, in contrast to his 12 saves and 2.70 ERA, didn’t have an opening to improve on his All-Star marketing campaign Tuesday.

Wrobleski, however, strengthened his.

He stayed true to his identification, pounding the strike zone and inducing weak contact to go with 9 strikeouts. The only run he gave up got here on a groundout in the sixth inning with runners on the corners.

In a nod to Wrobleski’s new nickname, “The Shark,” coined by Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martínez, Dodger Stadium organist Dieter Ruehle performed a snippet of the “Jaws” theme to punctuate Wrobleski’s punchouts, and as he walked off the mound for the last time.

Once Wrobleski’s job was completed, he paced in the dugout, interrupted once in a while by a hug or handshakes from a teammate. Catcher Dalton Rushing held his hand up to his brow like a shark fin.

The identify and attacking status had caught. Would it’s enough for an All-Star nod?

“If it happens, great,” Wrobleski said. “If it doesn’t happen, some time off and just chill for a couple days. Either way, I’m all good.”

On the offensive aspect, Ohtani’s leadoff homer made him the first participant to notch 300 home runs and 100-plus stolen bases in his first 9 MLB seasons, according to ESPN Insights. Tuesday was his 1,one hundred and first sport with at least one plate look. By that measure, he was the fifth-fastest to 300 home runs, according to mlb.com and Elias Sports Bureau, behind only Aaron Judge (953), Ralph Kiner (1,086), Ryan Howard (1,091) and Juan González (1,093).

“It was quite the homer,” Roberts said. “I mean, it was [112 mph] off the bat, low launch angle. It was squared up, got out in a hurry. And 300 — he got there pretty quickly for us. I just marvel at him every day.”

Defense unravels late

The Dodgers widened their lead to two runs but gave it up in the eighth on a pair of errors, including one on a sacrifice bunt.

Shortstop Miguel Rojas, who botched a grounder to his left earlier in the inning that enabled a run to rating, was late breaking to cowl third, leaving the bag large open. Second baseman Alex Freeland tried to hit Rojas in stride with his throw and was charged with an error when it acquired away and the go-ahead run scored.

“Physical errors happen, and I’m OK with that,” Rojas said. “I’m not perfect, and I’m going to make errors, and physical errors are OK. But mental errors are the ones that are disappointing. I should have been on third base, I shouldn’t be putting Alex Freeland in the situation of throwing the ball with me on the run there. That’s the one that I kick myself for.”

Said Roberts: “This guy’s as dependable as they come. So that it happens, we don’t like it, doesn’t feel good, but you know that player. I give him a lot of grace, because he is very dependable.”

Right-hander Evan Phillips made his first major-league look in 14 months, after present process Tommy John surgical procedure last summer season, and had two strikeouts in a scoreless ninth inning. But the Dodgers offense didn’t muster a comeback, as the top of the batting order went down in order with two runners on.

Ohtani on monitor

Ohtani is still in line to pitch Friday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Roberts said.

The proper biceps issue that flared in Ohtani’s closing at-bat last Friday, and sidelined him Saturday, raised the query of whether or not he ought to skip his last start before the All-Star break. But Roberts said Ohtani’s catch play has been regular and he hasn’t reported any considerations with his biceps.

“As he goes through the next couple days, if he doesn’t feel great, we’ll pivot, and we’re prepared to pivot,” Roberts said. “But as we sit here, I don’t see that changing.”

Roberts said he doesn’t suppose Ohtani will pitch in the All-Star Game or take part in the home run derby. But he does count on him to take an at-bat or two as the NL’s beginning designated hitter.

“He understands the responsibility he has,” Roberts said. “So I do think that there’s a middle for what’s best for him, what potentially could be downside, but also what’s best for the game.”