August 11th, 2016 at 12:00 pm 
by Ron Cervenka With the anxiety of the non-waiver trade deadline now behind us and the Dodgers farm system for the most part still very much intact, Dodger fans will get a rare opportunity to glance into the future of the organization on Friday evening when two of the franchise’e best pitching prospects take the mound for their respective Dodgers minor league teams; three if you choose to include Dodgers rookie right-hander Ross Stripling, who will once again be making a so-called “spot start” for the big club in place of recently acquired and still recovering left-hander Rich Hill.
Without question, most of the non-LA Dodgers and non-Ross Stripling attention will be on Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers right-hander Jose De Leon, who will be making his 13th start of the season with the franchise’s senior minor league team on Friday night. The Dodgers top-ranked righty is currently 4-1 with a 3.28 ERA in his 12 starts at OKC this season. But more importantly, De Leon has struck out nine or more batters in four of those 12 previous starts. Through his 57.2 innings pitched for the OKC Dodgers, the just-turned-24 Isabela, Puerto Rico native has struck out 71 while walking only 19. This equates to an outstanding strikeouts per nine innings average of 11.1 and a K/BB ratio of 3.74. As a point of reference, Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw‘s nine-year MLB career equivalents are 9.8 and 3.98 respectively.
Dodgers top pitching prospect Jose De Leon figures to be a lock as a September 1 call-up for the Dodgers – perhaps even sooner. (Photo credit – Jamie Harms)
Also toeing the rubber on Friday evening with be 22-year-old right-hander Chase De Jong, he with the Dodgers Double-A affiliate Tulsa Drillers. For those unfamiliar with the Long Beach, California native and lifelong Dodger fan, he could very well be considered the steal of the decade for the Dodgers among those not named Justin Turner who, coincidentally, is also from Long Beach. De Jong was acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays in July 2015 in exchange for an international signing slot. In other words, the Dodgers acquired him for virtually nothing. The franchise immediately hit pay dirt with De Jong as he helped lead that Dodgers Advanced Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes to their first Cal League Championship since becoming the Dodgers High-A affiliate in 2011. Through his 121.0 innings pitched for the Drillers (no, that’s not a typo), De Jong has struck out 106 while walking only 35. This is a K/9 average of 7.9 and a K/BB ratio of 3.03; not as sexy as De Leon’s and Kershaw’s but very impressive for a 22-year-old already pitching only two levels shy of the majors.
De Jong has proven himself as the workhorse of the Drillers staff, averaging nearly six innings per start. He also leads the team with his 106 strikeouts.
(Photo credit – Jessie Wardarski)
As for Ross Stripling, the extremely polite 26-year-old Bluebell, Pennsylvania native is 3-3 with a 3.79 ERA in his 13 appearances (nine starts) with the Dodgers thus far this season. The Dodgers have been extremely cautious with the hard-throwing right-hander by limiting his number of innings pitched as he recovers from his March 5, 2014 Tommy John surgery. In his 13 major league appearances thus far Stripling has throw only 59.1 innings; this figures out to be 4.55 innings per outing. That being said and with Rich Hill and fellow right-hander (and Tommy John recipient) Brandon McCarthy‘s health in question, Stripling could play a major role for the Dodgers down the stretch and perhaps into the postseason. Stripling has struck out 44 but has also walked 22, leading some to believe that he may still be on the mend from his surgery. However, in his last start against the always-dangerous Boston Red Sox this past Saturday, Stripling went 5.0 innings allowing no runs and only four hits against the best hitting team in the league. He also struck out four while walking only one, tending to suggest that he needs to remain in the Dodgers rotation down the stretch.
Stripling’s outing against the Red Sox on Saturday was his best since his 7.1-inning no-hitter against the Giants in his major league debut on April 8. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
But regardless of your fancy and thanks to the internet, Dodger fans will be able to keep tabs on Stripling, De Leon and De Jong on Friday which, when you think about it, is keeping tabs on the very future of the Dodgers starting rotation.
How cool is that!
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Does Jose De Leon have anything else to prove in the minor leagues? Based on your report I’d have to say ITFDB when speaking about De Leon. If he has nothing else to prove, what then, hypothetically, is holding up the Dodgers from pulling the trigger?
A spot on the 40-man roster… for now.
Eliminate the July 25th game where De Leon was lit-up for 7ER in 1 1/3 IP his ERA would be well below 3.00. A little concerning that he has only K’d 7 and walked 5 over last 14 1/3 IP. Strong performance tonight and we could see him start for Dodgers by middle of next week.
I agree with Ron that the biggest obstacle with not promoting De Leon is that he is not on the 40 man. The problem facing the FO is who gets waived from the 40 man in order to make room. This becomes even more of a problem once Brett Anderson, Kershaw, and Wood are removed from 60 man DL and added back to 40 man. Currently there are 15 pitchers on 40 man not on DL, leaving Carlos Frias and Brock Stewart the only two not on the current 25 man. Neither of them will be released.
Brett Anderson will be the first domino to fall. Who gets removed from the 40 man roster to make room? I do not believe that players on the DL can be released, but I can see how Tsao somehow gets recalled to his minor league team and then gets released. But that is only one. Hatcher’s 60 days are not up, so it seems unlikely that he can be released. If Bud Norris’ back is hurt more than originally believed, he could get moved to the 60 day making a spot available. But the need for arms in September would make that unlikely (if he is healthy).
It is going to become even more complicated when (if?) Ethier and Thompson are cleared from 60 day. SVS goes on 60 day? Zach Walters gets released? Neither Thompson nor Ethier are cleared to rejoin roster?
Just reviewing the current 40 man roster, and knowing the moves that have to be made to accommodate Anderson, Kershaw, and Wood it is entirely possible that De Leon does not get the Call in September. It would be a shame, but there has to be an open spot. Do the Dodgers release Chavez, Avilan, Howell, or Ravin to make room? Once Liberatore comes back, mitigating the need for two situational LH relievers, releasing Avilan or Howell seems possible, thus opening a spot. One could go on all day trying to conjure up the different scenarios, but unless we know who has cleared waivers to be traded, it is just a fun puzzle to play with.
FAZ gets derided for some of the moves that are made or not made, but the way they have built and manipulated the 40 man roster has been masterful (IMO). The Dodgers are nowhere near the lead in the NL West without the ability to use the entire 40 man roster to build a competent and competitive 25 man roster during the season. Maybe not Championship caliber, but certainly a contender. Now their work is really cut out; how to pare down the 40 man to get the walking wounded back on the roster, and maybe add a young 24 year old pitcher deserving of a September call, and getting one.
Isn’t the spot on 40 man roster a pretty easy fix? DFA Zach Walters. Team would still have utility players Charlie Culberson, Chris Taylor, Rob Segedin, and Michah Johnson still on the roster.
That would take care of one of the 5 players on the 60 day DL. They have to be added back to the 40 man before they could be reinstated, and since the 40 man is complete without them, there are going to be changes. Anderson is due back very shortly, and the first move will need to be made.
Jose De Leon did superb and Chase De Jong superb-er. And it’s tough to criticize Ross Stripling’s 7-inning gutsy performance with the Dodgers when they left 10 men on base and went 2 for 8 w/ RISP behind him.
BTW – Puig is 7 for 16 (.437) w/ 2 HR, 1 3B, 1 2B, 9 RBI since joining OKC Dodgers. Reddick is 4 for 32 (.125) w/ 0 XBH, 0 RBI since joining LA Dodgers.
“Puig is 7 for 16 (.437) w/ 2 HR, 1 3B, 1 2B, 9 RBI since joining OKC Dodgers. Reddick is 4 for 32 (.125) w/ 0 XBH, 0 RBI since joining LA Dodgers.”
#CuttingOffTheNoseToSpiteTheFace
Was Puig REALLY that much of a clubhouse cancer? I mean, I get the whole “scared straight” thing. Puig does have a tenancy to be labeled as an entitlement child. He’s worked hard to “be a better teammate” this year. Perhaps the demotion will do it’s job and help him work harder with conditioning and clubhouse demeanor… but do the Dodgers really have such a disdain for Yasiel Puig that they’re willing to part ways with him… a five-tool player? What the heck did he do to that became the last straw?
#CuttingOffTheNoseToSpiteTheFace