Shohei Ohtani homers, Justin Wrobleski shines as Dodgers shut out Cubs for series win

Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times on Apr 26, 2026

Published in Baseball

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers’ 6-0 win over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday included another strong offensive performance and Shohei Ohtani’s first home run in two weeks. But veteran second baseman Miguel Rojas didn’t see those as the main factors.

“It’s all about starting pitching right now, to be honest with you,” he said. “I think we’re feeding off of that.”

On Sunday, it was Justin Wrobleski’s six shutout innings that set the tone for the win.

“I’m going to try to give quality each time out, whether I’m throwing well or not throwing well,” said Wrobleski, who has a 1.50 earned-run average through five starts. “I think that’s been the big thing, is just every time out, let’s see how I can raise the floor of, when I’m not my best, like, where I can go. And I think that’s what I’ve been most proud of.”

Wrobleski navigated early command issues, issuing three walks in the first two innings before finding his rhythm to get through six frames without giving up a run. He limited the Cubs to four hits.

“For a young pitcher to go through stress and be consistent and be able to manage stress, limit damage and things like that, that’s certainly a lot of growth,” manager Dave Roberts said. “And it’s just a sign of a really competent pitcher.”

Relievers Edgardo Henriquez, Jack Dreyer and Kyle Hurt completed the shutout as the Dodgers (19-9) won the rubber game of the series a day after ending the Cubs’ 10-game win streak with a 12-4 rout.

The Dodgers’ offensive surge from the previous evening carried over into the first inning.

Ohtani and Teoscar Hernández remained patient against Cubs rotation-leader Shota Imanaga, both drawing walks. Then Andy Pages hit a sacrifice fly, Kyle Tucker doubled, and Rojas drove in two runs, as the Dodgers jumped out to a 3-0 lead.

Ohtani hit a double in the fifth inning, snapping a streak of six games without an extra-base hit.

Their bats came alive again in the sixth. Pages led off with a double and Tucker drew a walk, setting up Dalton Rushing’s RBI single through the right side of the infield. Tucker later scored on an errant pickoff attempt by Cubs catcher Carson Kelly.

The next inning, Ohtani homered for the first time in two weeks, suggesting the end of his slump.

“I talked to him a couple days ago, and he said his setup was a little bit off and he detected that,” Roberts said. “And so just the at-bat quality over the last couple days has been fantastic. And the pitch recognition, offering at the right pitches, has been very good the last couple days.”

Will Smith sidelined

Dodgers catcher Will Smith was out of the lineup for the second straight game because of lingering back tightness, according to Roberts.

“It’s one of those where he could play if needed,” Roberts said. “But we just thought it was smart to give him an extra day.”

Roberts said the Dodgers were not considering putting Smith on the injured list and hoped he would return to the lineup Monday against the Miami Marlins. It helped that his backup, Rushing, entered Sunday batting .400 with seven home runs in just 11 games.

“You weigh out the positives and negatives,” Roberts said. “But Dalton going the way he’s going, it just only seems like downside to push [Smith] now.”

____