March 7th, 2016 at 6:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka It was undoubtedly the biggest phone call of his young life. Then 24-year-old right-hander Ross Stripling was notified that he was a non-roster invitee to the Dodgers 2014 major league spring training camp in Glendale, Arizona. It was the phone call that every minor leaguer dreams of getting and Stripling had.
Stripling was selected by the Dodgers in the fifth round of the 2012 MLB First Year Player Draft out of Texas A&M University and had enjoyed two successful seasons in the minor leagues splitting time between Rookie League Ogden, Advanced Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and Double-A Chattanooga. The Bluebell, Pennsylvania native posted a combined 9-4 record and remarkable 2.47 ERA in 41 games (34 starts) to easily justify then Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti’s phone call to Stripling.
But then disaster struck. While throwing live batting practice in only his second week in camp, Stripling first felt something in his elbow. Knowing that this was an opportunity of a lifetime – perhaps one that he may never get again – he kept his elbow discomfort to himself hoping that it would go away.
It did not.
After making his spring training debut only five days later in which he allowed one run on five hits with one strikeout in two innings pitched, it was obvious that something was seriously wrong with the young right-hander. It was then that he told his coaches and trainers of his elbow discomfort and a subsequent MRI confirmed the worst – he had a tear in the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. One week later, on March 5, 2014, Dr. Neal ElAttrache performed Tommy John surgery on Stripling.
“That sucks, the kid was on a good roll,” said former Dodgers manager Don Mattingly at the time. “He’s one of the guys who has been throwing the ball well. It just changes the timetable for him.”
That timetable has now changed.
It’s been two years almost to the day since Ross Stripling stepped onto the mound for a major league spring training game. He faired much better this time than the last. (Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)
Exactly one day after the two-year anniversary of his Tommy John surgery, the now 26-year-old Stripling made his second major league spring training appearance in a Dodger uniform. But unlike that first one two years ago, this one went well – exceptionally well, in fact. Stripling faced eight batters allowing no runs, no hits, one walk, hit a batter and struck out one in his two-inning spring training debut. He was also credited with the 5-2 win over the hated San Francisco Giants – and looked very sharp doing it.
“I’m glad to have the first one done and over with,” said Stripling after the game. “Felt great [being out there].”
Although Stripling acknowledges that his command wasn’t quite where he wanted it to be, he is confident that it will get better throughout the spring.
“My command was probably a little off, but that’ll come with innings,” Stripling said. “My arm feels great.”
With the loss of left-hander Brett Anderson to the disabled list until after the All-Star break (or longer), Stripling is now in the mix for the final spot on the Dodgers Opening Day rotation – as are fellow right-handers Mike Bolsinger, Brandon Beachy, Zach Lee (who also pitched well on Sunday) and Dodgers top pitching prospect Jose De Leon (ditto on Saturday). As a result, it will all boil down to which of these guys does the best over the next four weeks – as it should. But you’ve definitely got to like Stripling’s chances – even if it has been two years since that phone call.
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This is good news, with the state of the Dodger pitching due to all the injuries they can certainly use someone to step up and fill the void. Hopefully, Ross took the first step in doing just that.
Not to mention a nicer guy you will not find.
Sorry, but I have to disagree with your choice of words. I wouldn’t call 5 quality arms competing to step up a void. A void is what we had last year when Ryu and McCarthy went down.
So what do you call the spot that is vacant with the Anderson injury/surgery?
An opportunity? I’m sure that’s how Lee and Bolsinger see it. I was hoping Anderson could produce until Ryu was ready; now I wonder if Ryu will be back before the All-Star break.
Was great to see Ross pitch in ST again. The competition is stiff but with a good spring and 2016 season he will have a path to MLB somewhere especially if he can regain a 4/1 strikeout to walk ratio.
Also great to see Zach Lee, Jose De Leon and Chase De Jong have a good outing yesterday as well as welcoming back Logan Balcom.
It was good to watch the pitching doing well on Sunday.
A favorite pitching prospect of mine, love to see him (or Lee) step up and take the no. 5 starting spot
I wrote this about Ross back on September 13, 2012.
https://thinkbluela.com/index.php/2012/09/13/down-on-the-farm-ross-stripling/
Good call by you. In some ways, De Jong reminds me of Stripling although I think he may throw a tad harder.
Don’t see the similarities. Ross is built bigger than Chase and Chase appears to have more movement on the ball.
I did notice, however, that Ross stayed low in the zone yesterday which, of course, is a VERY good thing. As they always say: “If you’re going to miss, miss low.”
Bios show De Jong as taller and heavier, but I have only seen them on TV/videos. Similarities I see, both are not overpowering, get outs by mixing pitches and staying low in the K zone.
Good article. Back then I was in a major financial rut, didn’t even own a working ‘puter. So I was cut off from the outside world for the most part.
I did learn something new: Paco’s real name is Steven. At first I thought Onelki Garcia was Kimi but, of course, Kimi’s right handed. So, is he still around?
Anyway, this is gonna be an interesting spring with so many quality arms ready to step up. Far cry from last year.
Kimi = Yimi; I believe Onelki is still with the Chisox
Garcia sat out the 2014 season recuperating from left elbow surgery in November of 2103. He was waived by the Dodgers in November of 2014 and selected off waivers by the Chicago White Sox. He was left unprotected by the White Sox in the November 2015 Rule 5 Draft and was not claimed by any of the other 29 MLB teams.
Did I read somewhere that Stripling was Michael Wacha’s roommate at Texas A&M? I sure hope he makes it all the way back. We’re going to need all the arms we can get.
[…] ThinkBlue L.A. tells the story of right-hander Ross Stripling […]
That’s fantastic news, Ron. I remember when Ross went down in 2014, we were all hoping great things for the kid. Good to read that his recovery has gone well and that he’s getting his shot again.
I’d have to say that taking two years to come back may be a good thing in the long term. Just the way the dates lined up for his recovery I guess… but the extra time should offer a great advantage to regaining his arm strength.