When you mention the words ‘Dodgers’ and ‘staff ace’ in the same sentence, it is impossible not to immediately think of seven-time All-Star, five-time ERA title winner, three-time Cy Young award winner, National League MVP, Triple Crown winner and former MLB Player of the Year Clayton Kershaw. I mean, why wouldn’t he be, right?

But the brutally painful truth is that despite all of these Cooperstown-worthy numbers, at 30 years old and with 11 seasons on wear and tear on his golden left arm, (not to mention repeated trips to the disabled list over the past three seasons), Clayton Kershaw’s best days are behind him.

But as the future Hall of Famer continues to be “on-track” (as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts put it on Sunday morning) in his recovery from a lower back strain that has troubled the Dallas, Texas native and Dodgers 2006 first-round draft pick for the past two seasons, he is simply no longer the Dodgers staff ace. That honor, and it is every bit that, now belongs to 28-year-old Bluebell, Pennsylvania native and Dodgers 2012 fifth-round draft pick (out of Texas A&M) right-hander Ross Stripling.

With the most wins, lowest ERA, and most strikeouts among all Dodgers starters, it is impossible not to consider Stripling the Dodgers staff ace this season. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Like Kershaw, Stripling was drafted to be a starting pitcher. But unlike Kershaw, who has appeared in a grand total of 300 major league games and started all but two of them (which in and of itself is utterly amazing), Strip, as he is affectionately called by his teammates, has appeared in 90 major league games, of which he has started only 24.

Now this most certainly doesn’t mean that Stripling wasn’t worthy of being in the team’s starting rotation, it is simply the byproduct of the Dodgers having had a very good (and very expensive) starting rotation over the past several seasons. As a result, the 6′-3″ / 210-pound right-hander with a high-nineties fastball and an absolutely filthy curveball, has been used primarily in relief – usually as the team’s long reliever or as an occasional spot-starter since making him MLB debut on April 8, 2016 … and oh what an MLB debut it was.

In you recall, Stripling was called upon to make a spot-start on that memorable day against the Hated Ones at AT&T Park in San Francisco. All the (then) 26-year-old right-hander did was pitch 7.1 scoreless – and hitless – innings. Yep, Ross Stripling, in his MLB debut, had a no-hitter going when Roberts pulled him after making his 100th pitch with one out in the eighth inning. And while the debate continues even to this day as to whether or not this was the right decision by the Dodgers skipper for a kid on the cusp of MLB history (there has been only one no-hitter thrown by a pitcher making his MLB debut, that by Charles Leander “Bumpus” Jones on October 15, 1892), it is, as they say, what it is.

Since that fateful day in the City by the Bay, Stripling has gone 8-7 with a respectable middle-of the-rotation-type 3.45 ERA as a starting pitcher, and 5-8 with a 3.14 ERA as a reliever.

…until this season.

As in the past, Stripling began the 2018 campaign as the team’s long-reliever / spot-starter until a series of injuries besieged the Dodgers starting rotation. As a result, he was inserted into the starting rotation and has been nothing short of sensational.

In his 11 relief appearance this season, Strip is 0-0 with a (wait for it…) 0.59 ERA over 15.1 innings pitched, with 17 strikeouts and six walks. But in his eight starts this season, Stripling is 5-1 with a remarkable 2.01 ERA. When you combine these numbers, the extremely polite former Aggie is 5-1 with a (brace yourselves) MLB third-best 1.65 ERA behind only Houston Astros right-hander Justin Verlander‘s 1.45 ERA and new York Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom‘s 1.57 ERA.

That being said, because Stripling has not met the ‘one inning pitched per team game’ criteria (i.e. 65 innings pitched as of June 10), he is not officially listed among MLB’s ERA leaders … yet. That being said and if all goes well, he could reach the criteria with his next start, which could be as early as Friday, June 15 versus (wait for it…) the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. However, the Dodgers have two days off between now and then, which could conceivably move his next start back to Sunday, June 17 (also against the Giants). Then again, starting pitchers are a strange lot and are not particularly fond of changes in their routine … not to mention the fact that the Dodgers are currently operating as a M.A.S.H. unit with their starting rotation.

As for Stripling’s start on Sunday afternoon, he was nothing short of brilliant (again), allowing only two runs on four hits, while striking out six and walking none over his excellent 6.2 innings of work in the Dodgers eventual 7-2 win over the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium. Ironically (and unfortunately), two of the hits and both runs were the result of home runs by Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies and first baseman Freddie Freeman respectively.

But Stripling wasn’t only effective with his arm on Sunday afternoon. He also laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt (which led to the eventually game-winning run), and had an infield single. He also stole a base – the first of his MLB career.

“He had a complete game today,” Roberts told reporters after the game. “I don’t know how they scored the one hit, if it was a hit or an error [it was scored as a hit], but he’s a pro, fundamentally sound. He can hold runners, varies his times, covering the bag right there on the ball that Cody [Bellinger] went after. Yeah, getting the sacrifice bunt down.

“He does a lot of things really well to help you win baseball games and he’s just a complete baseball player.”

Stripling’s third-inning sacrifice bunt set up what would prove to be the eventual winning run against the Braves on Sunday afternoon. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

As for that stolen base thing, although Striplng was successful in snagging his first career bag, it was actually a failed attempt to intentionally get into a rundown so that Dodgers second baseman Logan Forsythe could score from third base. Forsythe, who had hit an RBI ground rule double and took third on a flyout by Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes, needn’t have bothered. After ‘Speed Strip’ swiped second, Braves right-hander (and former Dodger) Peter Moylan walked Dodgers shortstop Chris Taylor and Braves left-hander Sam Freeman walked Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy to force in Forsythe.

Did Striplng steal that base on his own?

“No, they told me to do it. I probably can’t even tell you what … Yeah, anyways, they told me to steal. ” said Stripling with a big grin. “I like took off and I looked, and I was supposed to stop if they threw it, but I don’t even know if I looked, so luckily they didn’t throw it because I’m not sure I would have stopped. I’m glad it worked out.”

Yes, Ross, you did just steal that base.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

I mean, how can you not absolutely love this guy.

While there may be some who are reluctant to call Stripling the staff ace after only eight starts, the simple truth is that he leads the team in wins (five), ERA (1.65), and strikeouts (72), while having allowed only 11 walks … the exact same number as Kershaw.

Staff ace?

I’m going with yes.