One former All-Star pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers is still kicking.
The Kansas City Royals announced to social media on Wednesday that they have signed veteran right-hander Ross Stripling. They are giving Stripling a minor-league contract with an invite to major league Spring Training.
Stripling, now 35 years old, began his MLB career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and was an All-Star for them during the 2018 season (going 8-6 with a 3.02 ERA and 136 strikeouts in 122 total innings pitched). But ever since the Dodgers traded him to the Toronto Blue Jays in 2020, Stripling has not provided much to write home about.
Over the last four seasons combined (for Toronto, the San Francisco Giants, and the Oakland Athletics), Stripling has turned in a 4.59 ERA and has also seen his strikeout rate plummet to 7.1 K/9. Last season for Oakland, Stripling was particularly bad, going 2-11 with a career-worst 6.01 ERA over 22 appearances and finishing with an overall negative WAR.
But Stripling is low-risk, low-cost arm who has plenty of hybrid experience as both a starter and a reliever. As such, he has earned himself another MLB shot with the Royals.
Kansas City is looking to keep up their momentum after winning 86 games last season (the most since their 2015 World Series year) and making it to the ALDS (where they lost to the New York Yankees). The Royals have already added some quality pitching talent in free agency, and now they will be hoping that the vet Stripling can give them something as well.
