2016 Dodgers review: Ross Stripling

Ross Stripling made his major league debut in 2016 and was a major contributor for the Dodgers both as a starter and in relief.

What went right

Stripling won the Dodgers’ fifth-starter job at the end of spring training, and became the first Dodgers pitcher (excluding international free agents) to make an opening day roster with zero major league experience since Don Sutton in 1966.

The Dodgers got 100 essentially league-average innings out of Stripling — his ERA+ was 98 and FIP- was 96.

Stripling was fourth on the Dodgers in innings pitched.

After spending most of June working out in Arizona to limit his innings — in his first full season since 2014 Tommy John surgery — and another month in Triple--A Oklahoma City, Stripling rejoined the Dodgers after the All-Star break and posted a 3.48 ERA in a variety of roles, with 40 strikeouts and 12 walks in 54⅓ innings.

Stripling got his first major league win and first major league hit on May 13 against the Cardinals, both against former Texas A&M roommate Michael Wacha.

He allowed just one hit in six strong innings in Toronto on Mothers Day, striking out six and walking none.

Stripling had a 2.22 ERA in eight relief appearances.

What went wrong

Stripling had a 4.52 ERA in his 14 starts.

He retired just one of six batters in Game 4 of the NLCS against the Cubs, allowing five runs in the sixth inning and turning a competitive game into a blowout loss for the Dodgers. Stripling did pitch scoreless ball in his other four playoff outings, though.

Stripling allowed nine stolen bases in nine attempts.

2016 particulars

Age: 26

Stats: 5-9, 3.96 ERA, 3.90 FIP in 22 G, 14 starts; 74 K, 30 BB in 100 IP; 0.6 rWAR, 1.1 fWAR

Salary: $507,500, the major league minimum, pro-rated for his time in the majors, roughly $338,000.

Game of the year

Stripling had one of the most memorable major league debuts ever, taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the Giants in San Francisco on April 8. Up 2-0, Stripling walked his fourth batter of the game with one out in the eighth, and that ended his night, the first of two controversial no-hitter hooks by manager Dave Roberts in his first year as Dodgers manager.

Relief pitcher Chris Hatcher promptly allowed a two-run home run to tie the game, lost by the Dodgers in 10 innings.

Stripling was at 100 pitches, and his father even thanked Roberts the following day for protecting Stripling’s arm. Instead of getting to join Bumpus Jones — who in 1892 pitched a no-hitter in his major league debut — Stripling got to be just the second pitcher ever to pitch at least seven innings without allowing a hit in his major league debut.

Roster status

Stripling has 115 days of major league service time and two option years remaining.