Dodgers: What Will Rich Hill’s Return Do to the Starting Rotation?

Ross Stripling

The last Dodger All-Star starting pitcher that was named Clayton Kershaw who is still on the team (sorry about your trade Alex Wood),  Stripling had a tough second half in 2018.

But 2019 has brought new life into the 6’3 righty’s game. In five starts, Stripling has two quality starts and a start with 5.1 innings of shutout ball.

His 3.07 ERA and 1.06 WHIP are amongst the best on the team to start the season. Even though he has the least experience of the three pitchers vying for the final spot, he really does seem to be the most qualified to stay in the rotation.

Over the last two seasons, the 29-year old Stripling has over a strikeout per inning and an ERA of 3.04.

One interesting statistic regarding Stripling is that he is best when pitching at Dodger Stadium. This season, Stripling has a 1.83 ERA at home and a near-6 ERA on the road. From 2016 to 2018, he has a 3.12 home ERA against a 3.92 ERA on the road.

The fan-favorite “Chicken Strip” deserves a spot in the rotation as much as the next guy, and even though he sometimes shows less emotion than other pitchers, he really does have some of the best-offspeed stuff in the game.