The Los Angeles Dodgers have significant pitching depth, which usually means someone good enough to start gets left out. Ross Stripling has been that pitcher, and he’s not hiding his frustration about it.
Stripling’s rotation hopes were given a boost when David Price opted against playing in 2020, but as was the case in spring training, Stripling will have to earn a spot. That left him frustrated, he said Sunday.
Ross Stripling said David Price's opt-out leaves him in the same position as usual, wanting to be in the rotation. He said he is built up and on track to pitch six innings by the start of the season.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) July 5, 2020
Stripling said he was disappointed not to be named in the original starting rotation during Spring Training. "I didn't think I got a fair shake," he said.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) July 5, 2020
Stripling has been in and out of the Dodger rotation for four years now. He has a 3.51 career ERA and made the 2018 All-Star Game, so he can definitely pitch at this level. However, at various points, the Dodgers have had Clayton Kershaw, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Kenta Maeda, Rich Hill, and Walker Buehler in their rotation, leaving Stripling on the outside looking in.
Stripling was nearly traded to the Angels during the offseason, and seemed happy that the deal fell through. Perhaps he thought he’d done enough to prove his worth and be given a rotation spot without having to compete for it, but that does not seem to be the case.
