In their four seasons under president of baseball operations, the Los Angeles Dodgers have been no strangers to roster manipulation. The histrionics have included aggressively utilizing platoons, the disabled list, particularly since it was reduced to 10 days, and tinkering with the starting rotation.
While injuries have in some part required adjustments, the Dodgers have also adjusted their rotation on the fly to account for providing extra rest to a pitcher and matchups. They’ve made several changes within the past month for series with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies and St. Louis Cardinals.
The strategy has seemingly paid off as the Dodgers now sit atop the National League West standings. They called on it yet again Friday, push Rich Hill back one day in favor of Ross Stripling in the series opener with the San Diego Padres.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said playing the matchup and giving Hill an extra day of rest before Saturday’s start and his outing on Sept. 28, were factors, via SportsNet LA:
“We decided it a couple days ago. It just gives Rich an extra day, keeps Ross on line. That’s sort of our reasoning behind it. … Just the way [Hill] has pitched, there’s a little matchup component, but just to give him an extra day on this side and the other side, too. … The more important thing is Rich has pitched a lot this year. Ross coming back, to get him in the rhythm of the every fifth day thing, you kind of put it all together and we felt good about that.”
With the change, Hill is no longer aligned to start in the series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He’s faced them three times this season, allowing 15 runs on 20 hits, including six home runs, in just 14 innings pitched.
Each of the three starts came at Dodger Stadium, while Wednesday’s outing, which Stripling is tentatively scheduled to start, will be at Chase Field. Now, Hill is lined up to get the ball in the series opener against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park.
