Dodgers manager Dave Roberts’s decision to lift Ross Stripling during the eighth inning of a no-hitter has been controversial, but Roberts has received support from an unlikely source – Stripling’s father.
Stripling is two years removed from Tommy John surgery and was making his first MLB start at the age of 26 when he took the no-hitter into the eighth. That history of arm injury was part of the reason Roberts chose to lift him after walking Angel Pagan with his hundredth pitch.
Roberts divulged that Stripling’s own father had approached him at the team hotel and thanked him for making the right decision and taking his son out.
“Actually this morning I feel even better about it,” said Roberts, via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. “One of the cool things I experienced, this morning Ross’ dad was in the lobby and he sought me out and came up to me and, really emotional, just thanked me for him and his wife for looking out for their son. They know their kid’s story, what he endured to get here, and they enjoyed the moment more than anyone, but they say thank you. I’ll have their support forever. It was their stamp of approval.
“Look, I want to see him throw a no-hitter; it’s a special moment. But we’re looking at the long view and Ross can help us win many more games. If it went south and something were to happen, I couldn’t live with myself. It’s his livelihood.”
It was noted that opposing manager Bruce Bochy said he would have done the same thing. It should also be noted that, at the time of his removal, Stripling had walked two of the last five hitters he’d faced and seemed to be laboring a bit.
The decision was made even more controversial by what happened after Stripling was pulled. Stripling himself backed his manager’s decision, too, so I guess among those whose opinions really matter, all is well.
