The Los Angeles Dodgers starting rotation has been a revolving door this season, with every single starter spending time on the disabled list at one point or another.
As it currently stands though, the Dodgers rotation is in good shape health-wise. On the other hand, the bullpen is currently in shambles with All-Star closer Kenley Jansen on the shelf for at least a couple weeks due to a heart condition.
With an excess of starting pitchers, it makes sense for the Dodgers to move one or more of their starters to move to the bullpen to help fill the void that Jansen left. The bullpen has blown leads in consecutive nights, resulting in losses to the Colorado Rockies.
It appears that is going to be the case as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said right-handers Kenta Maeda and Ross Stripling will be moving to the bullpen, via Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times:
Kenta Maeda is going to the bullpen, Dave Roberts said.
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughTimes) August 12, 2018
Ross Stripling is also moving to the bullpen. His tenure may be shorter than Maeda, who appears there to stay.
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughTimes) August 12, 2018
Given their past success as relievers, Maeda and Stripling were the obvious candidates to make the transition. Maeda came out of the bullpen for the Dodgers in the postseason last year and was fantastic, allowing just one total run in nine appearances while striking out 10 in 10.2 innings.
Maeda has incentives in his contract based on innings pitched and starts made, some of which he was getting close to this season. So it will be interesting to see if the Dodgers decide to reward Maeda those bonuses even though he may not start any more games this season.
Stripling was a reliever for the Dodgers for all of 2017 and the beginning of this season before moving to the starting rotation. In 11 relief appearances, Stripling posted a 0.59 ERA and 1.17 WHIP with 17 strikeouts and six walks in 15.1 innings.
