Los Angeles Dodgers’ Ross Stripling warms up during the first inning of a spring training baseball game against the San Diego Padres Tuesday, March 29, 2016, in Peoria, Ariz. The Padres defeated the Dodgers 11-9. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Update:
When it was announced last week that the LA Dodgers chose prospect Ross Stripling as the fifth member of their rotation, many wondered why he was chosen over other highly ranked prospects. On Friday night at AT&T Park in front of a hostile away crowd, Stripling showed that not only did the Dodgers make the correct decision but also that he is ready for the big leagues.
Stripling not only shined, he no-hit a dominant San Francisco Giants team through seven and one-third innings. The twenty-six year old struck out four and walked four in his stellar outing before being removed with one out in the eighth inning.
The decision to pull Stripling from the no-hitter was because of the one hundred pitch count limit that the Dodgers had set for him before the season began. The right-handed pitcher underwent Tommy John Surgery on his throwing elbow in 2014 and pitched just a half season in 2015 with Double-A. In order to prevent any further injury it was reported last week that Stripling will pitch just about 125 innings this season.
When he was taken out of the game in the eighth, the Dodgers were winning 2-0, ironically Stripling walked Angel Pagan before departing and his relief Chris Hatcher allowed a two run homer to the Giants’ rookie Trevor Brown to tie the game at two. Brandon Crawford’s walk-off homer sealed the deal for San Francisco as they won 3-2.
Original Post: April 2, 2016
The LA Dodgers went into Spring Training this season with new management and looking to create a solid rotation behind Ace Clayton Kershaw. On Friday the Dodgers finalized their Opening Day roster and announced their starting rotation which includes a young prospect named RHP Ross Stripling.
Stripling, the sixteenth best prospect in the Dodgers farm system, claimed the fifth spot in the starting rotation beating out other young pitchers Zach Lee and Carlos Frias as the Dodgers try to recover from an injury plagued pitching staff.
The twenty-six year old underwent Tommy John Surgery, causing him to miss the 2014 season and returned to the mound in the 2015 season with Single-A Great Lakes and then Double-A Tulsa where he started thirteen games with a 3.66 ERA and a 3-6 record.
Adding Stripling to the rotation is something that very few saw coming seeing as he’s never pitched above Double-A, where other prospects had even gotten a glimpse of the big leagues.
He made four appearances in Cactus League play with a 4.09 ERA and a 1-1 record; striking out eleven in eleven innings. He has a solid arsenal of pitching options including a fastball, curveball and even a slider.
Stripling was drafted in the fifth round of the 2012 MLB Draft while playing at Texas A&M University. In May 2012 he threw a no-hitter against San Diego State University, en route to the 1-0 win; making him just the eleventh pitcher to do so in school history.
Stripling will make his Major League debut on April 8 at AT&T Park against the rival San Francisco Giants. Along with Stripling, the Dodgers rotation includes: Clayton Kershaw, the newly acquired Scott Kazmir, international signee Kenta Maeda and Alex Wood.
Since this will be his first full season of play since rehabbing from Tommy John Surgery, the Dodgers will keep Stripling on a 125-150 innings count.
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