Dodgers: Ross Stripling Should Take Rich Hill’s Rotation Spot

The Dodgers injury bug resurfaced Wednesday night as Rich Hill left his start after just one inning. Hill’s rotation spot should go to Ross Stripling.

Wednesday night the injury bug made its way back to Chavez Ravine as Dodgers’ starter Rich Hill left his start after just one inning.  Hill appeared to be uncomfortable after every pitch in the first inning and after throwing warmup pitches in the second inning he called Dave Roberts out to the mound and left the game with forearm discomfort.

It’s not yet clear how serious Hill’s injury is, but forearm discomfort tends to be a precursor to more serious elbow injuries.  Given Rich Hill’s age, the Dodgers are going to be cautious with the veteran southpaw, especially since the club has plenty of depth to cover Hill’s absence from the rotation.  Hill had been dialed in over his last handful of starts after a slow start.

With Hill being placed on the IL and scheduled to undergo an MRI, the Dodgers should put Ross Stripling back in the rotation.  Chicken Strip is better out of the rotation and he lacks the velocity and putaway pitches to be an effective reliever.  This season he has a 2.65 ERA in six starts, but out of the bullpen, Ross has a 4.61 ERA.  Stripling has also allowed an opponent’s average of .218 as a starter compared to a .245 average as a reliever.

More from LA Dodgers News

• Giants laughably sign pitcher that Dodgers absolutely own
• Dave Roberts’ quote about Padres in NLDS should motivate Dodgers
• Former Astro seemingly takes uncalled for shot at Cody Bellinger after Cubs deal
• Dodgers’ 2023 lineup without Trea Turner isn’t as impressive as it should be
• Recapping who Dodgers gained and lost in Rule 5 Draft

For Julio Urias, he is going to spot start and start tonight’s game for the blue but he has more value to the Dodgers out of the bullpen.  Julio has settled in as a reliever and held the opposition to an average below .100 this month.  He also has the power stuff to pitch out of the pen with an upper 90’s fastball and various putaway pitches.

This season, Urias has been more effective out of the bullpen pitching to a 2.49 ERA compared to a 3.66 ERA as a starter in four starts.  His opponent’s average is nearly identical as a starter and reliever but given the bullpen’s lack of effective left-handed relievers, it makes more sense to keep him in the bullpen.

Ross Stripling has been an underrated pitcher for the Dodgers and has always pitched out of whatever role he has been asked to.  It’s time to reward him and give him another shot in the rotation and it could also double as a look for teams interested in trading for him.  The Dodgers will seek relief help at the deadline and Stripling could be a nice trade piece for another club.

Even if the Dodgers do not include chicken strip in a trade later this season, he has the repertoire to be a better starting pitcher than a reliever.  Julio Urias can continue giving the shaky bullpen a boost and Stripling can fill in until Rich Hill is ready to return from his forearm discomfort.