Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts can play things close to the vest. However, after seemingly confirming Sunday that he will tab Hyun-Jin Ryu as the National League starting pitcher in the 2019 All-Star game, Roberts has tipped his hand with another pitching decision.
Ross Stripling, who made the NL All-Star team before struggling in the second half of 2018, once again starts on Tuesday in place of the injured Rich Hill. Stripling began this year in the Dodgers’ rotation alongside Julio Urias, but both were demoted to the bullpen once Hill and Clayton Kershaw returned from the 10-day injured list.
Hill, though, suffered a left forearm flexor strain on June 19 and will seemingly be sidelined until August at the earliest. Stripling got the first start in Hill’s place on June 25 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, throwing only three innings as he needs to once again ramp up his endurance while he transitions from reliever to starter.
However, Stripling may be in for a more conventional start length as he got to go through a full starter’s routine since his last outing. Additionally, Urias threw three innings against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday, and doing so again on one day’s rest would run counter to the famously cautious way the Dodgers have handled his workload throughout his career.
Stripling faces D-Backs rookie Taylor Clarke at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday. Clark is looking to build off a solid start of his own against the Dodgers, as he allowed three runs over five innings to hand L.A. a rare series loss on June 26.
Clarke currently owns a 6.10 ERA over nine starts.
Joc Pederson returns to first base for the first time since Friday. Pederson, a career outfielder, is learning the position on the fly so the Dodgers can keep potentially send out a lineup that includes himself, Cody Bellinger, Alex Verdugo and Max Muncy once A.J. Pollock returns from elbow surgery.
That would set the left-handed Pederson up for a platoon with the right-handed David Freese once Freese recovers from minor knee and hamstring injuries.
Pederson’s tenure at first has been rocky thus far. His two errors there, on top of other shaky play, are already more than his one error in nearly nine times as many outfield innings. Bellinger, who played most of his rookie season at first base, manned the position on Saturday and Sunday against the Colorado Rockies.
Edwin Rios also starts at third base for the second straight game, giving Justin Turner a third consecutive day off.
Dodgers lineup:
1B: Joc Pederson
CF: Alex Verdugo
LF: Matt Beaty
RF: Cody Bellinger
2B: Max Muncy
SS: Kiké Hernandez
3B: Edwin Rios
C: Austin Barnes
P: Ross Stripling
Diamondbacks lineup:
CF: Jarrod Dyson
2B: Ketel Marte
LF: David Peralta
3B: Eduardo Escobar
RF: Adam Jones
1B: Jake Lamb
SS: Nick Ahmed
C: Alex Avila
P: Taylor Clarke
