The Dodgers on Thursday afternoon reinstated right-handed pitcher Ross Stripling from the 10-day disabled list and optioned switch-handed pitcher Pat Venditte to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Stripling, who missed the last nine games due to a toe injury, is slated to make his 17th start of the season Thursday evening against the Rockies. He was selected to his first NL All-Star squad this season and has been outstanding for Los Angeles this year going 8-3 with a 2.68 ERA and striking out 119 batters against just 15 walks over an even 104 innings in 27 games, 16 of which were starts. Among pitchers with at least 15 starts, Stripling ranks among the best in the National League in ERA (9th), strikeouts per nine innings (10.35, 9th), walks per nine innings (0.91, 1st ML), strikeout-to-walk ratio (11.33, 1st ML) and WHIP (1.13, 11th).
Venditte, 33, has appeared in five games with Los Angeles this season, allowing four runs over 4-1/3 innings (8.31 ERA), while striking out four against one walk over six stints with the big league club.
With just 47 games remaining on their regular-season schedule, the Dodgers are set to face the Rockies in a four-game set which will certainly have implications in a very tight National League West divisional race.
Los Angeles is coming off a two-game split with Oakland, currently sitting 1/2 game behind the division-leading Diamondbacks. The Rockies lost two of three games to the Pirates in their most recent series and find themselves in third place, three full games behind Arizona for the division lead.
As far as the tentative pitching matchups go, Stripling will square off against lefty Tyler Anderson in the opener on Thursday. On Friday evening, Kenta Maeda will face the hard-throwing right-hander Jon Gray. In Saturday’s contest, Walker Buehler will oppose southpaw Kyle Freeland, and on Sunday, Rich Hill will take the mound opposite Colorado righty Chad Bettis.
The contests on Friday and Saturday are both scheduled for 5:40 p.m. Los Angeles time first pitches, while Saturday’s game is slated for a 5:10 p.m. start time. The finale on Sunday will begin at 12:10 p.m.
(Dai Sugiura provided some information furnished in this report)
Stripling looked very sharp in his outing against Colorado tonight. No way I’d send him back to the pen, but that’s just my honest opinion about it. Now BAEZ, on the other hand, well I guess it’s safe to say his time as a Dodger is nearing its inevitable conclusion after his latest meltdown (though I have to give some credit to Grandal for compounding the problem with more shaky defense of late, costly run-scoring passed ball this time which preceded that Chris Iannetta 3-run HR in the 7th). Rookie Ferguson continues to earn his keep, though. Kid just goes out there and quietly goes about his business…
As long as Roberts was going to let Ferguson pitch multiple innings I couldn’t believe how long he left Baez in. I get the distinct idea that the front office is just waiting a little bit longer to move half the starting rotation to the bullpen and eliminate the deadwood they have there. Based on their most recent efforts, Baez and Axford are about as effective on the mound as Kike. In other words, they probably don’t belong on a major league roster when you are limited to 25 guys and you’re in a very tight race for the playoffs. As much of a surprise as Kemp and Muncy have been this year, my son made the argument to me tonight that Ferguson is the biggest surprise of all, considering where he started the year and what was expected of him.
If Ferguson develops a slider he will be a top #2 to Buehler down the road. I love this kid!
Really gonna see what the bullpen is made of now with Jansen out for the immediate future.
Farhan has just put out a list of potential replacements for Kenley if he needs extended time off: Baez, Axford, Machado, Dozier. Sure would have been nice if we’d gotten that really good 8th inning guy we were all hoping for. I can’t think of anyone who would be available in August who would solve this problem so it will have to be solved in house. I wonder, if even for a split second, anyone in the front office considered asking Kershaw to become the closer. He’s got the stuff and the makeup for the job and we have other starters. Baseball aside, I sure hope it’s nothing too serious with Kenley and I certainly hope it’s nothing that would cut his career short. Thinking good thoughts big guy!
So Venditty is the best available option to fill a relief spot?
I’m losing confidence in Baez. His K/9 is fine, but his H/9, ERA and WHIP all sit at career high levels now. Something is wrong with him. He needs to be examined and I would start at the top.
Squirrels woke up. That’s a good thing.
Problem with him is easy to diagnose, HE HAS MIGUEL SANO DISEASE (LOL)!!! Quickest remedy? Bump him back down to High-A Rancho Cucamonga and see if he “rededicates” himself to the game for once…
;-p