Ross Stripling to have Tommy John surgery Wednesday

GLENDALE -- Dodgers pitcher Ross Stripling will miss the 2014 season after MRI results revealed a tear in the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. The right-hander will have Tommy John surgery on Wednesday in Los Angeles, performed by team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

"That sucks, the kid was on a good roll," manager Don Mattingly said on Tuesday. "He's one of the guys who has been throwing the ball well. It just changes the timetable for him."

Stripling was 8-4 with a 2.82 ERA across two levels in 2014 with 117 strikeouts and just 30 walks in 127⅔ innings. After a promotion to Double-A Chattanooga he put up a 2.78 ERA in 21 games, including 16 starts, with 83 strikeouts in 94 innings.

He was in his first major league spring training camp as a non-roster invitee. The 24-year-old, drafted by the Dodgers out of Texas A&M in the fifth round in 2012, was rated the team's seventh-best prospect by Baseball Prospectus and the 10th best prospect by Baseball America this offseason.

Stripling first felt something in his elbow throwing live batting practice on Feb. 21. Stripling didn't tell any coaches or trainers, and pitched two innings against the Diamondbacks on Feb. 26. He finally told the training staff last Thursday, the day after his Cactus League outing.

Though he'd prefer his players be open when they are hurting, in this case he doesn't feel the extra time without revealing the injury cost Stripling anything more.

"The thing we talked about was that he felt a tearing sensation during his BP," Mattingly said.

Stripling tweeted out news of the surgery.

Tommy John surgery scheduled for tomorrow morning. Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers. Everything happens for a reason!

— Ross Stripling (@RossStripling) March 4, 2014