The important role Ross Stripling has played on the Blue Jays this year

Entering the 2022 season, the Toronto Blue Jays had one of the strongest rotations in the American League. Even after the departure of Robbie Ray and Steven Matz via free agency, the Jays’ front office made some moves to shore up the holes and signed Kevin Gausman and Yusei Kikuchi to multi-year deals. Gausman was coming off an impressive 2021 season that saw him earn some Cy Young votes while Kikuchi was a bit of a wild card, similar to how the club gambled on Ray and Matz last season.

Fast forward to today, and the rotation looks a bit different than how the season started. Gausman has been exactly as advertised while right-hander Alek Manoah has emerged as the bonafide ace of this squad. José Berríos, fresh off a seven-year extension, has struggled to be consistent on the mound while Kikuchi has been moved to the bullpen after losing command of his fastball and also struggling to get outs as a member of the rotation. Hyun Jin Ryu started the year with the squad but might have pitched his last inning with the Blue Jays after undergoing Tommy John surgery back in mid-June. 

This opened the door for Ross Stripling, a right-hander who was acquired by the Blue Jays at the 2020 trade deadline from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for prospects OF Ryan Noda and RHP Kendall Williams. At the time, Stripling was being used in the rotation for Los Angeles but found himself in the bullpen with the Jays, a move that was not unfamiliar to the swingman with his days back in California in years prior.

Initial Stripling perspective with the Blue Jays

Initially, he struggled, posting a 6.32 ERA through five outings to finish out the 2020 campaign and a 4.80 ERA split between the rotation and bullpen last year. Through 24 appearances, injuries and lack of depth options forced Stripling back to the rotation until late September, when he moved back to the bullpen after returning from an oblique strain. He finished the year with an 8.3 K/9 with a 2.7 BB/9 through 101.1 innings of work.

For 2022, the offseason acquisitions and the addition of Berríos last year had Stripling pitching in relief, a move that would end up being shortlived due to Ryu and his injury troubles. Through 32 outings and 24 starts, becoming a prominent rotation member in early June, Stripling is posting career numbers, owning a 3.01 ERA with 111 strikeouts through a career-high 134.1 innings. Through his last 15 starts, Stripling has authored a 0.99 WHIP and has only allowed four or more earned runs in just two outings this season.

Ross Stripling and his role on the Blue Jays

While he didn’t pitch very deep into games compared to Manoah and Gausman, breaking the six-inning mark only nine times, Stripling has been a very pleasant surprise for the Blue Jays and a big factor in keeping the club close when they needed someone to step up and take a role in the rotation. Of the 24 games he started, the Blue Jays won 17 of those contests and Stripling finished with a 10-4 record on the year, the first time breaking the double-digit mark since debuting back in 2016. He has pitched so well that he also potentially bumped Berríos from the playoff rotation, as the former Dodger has had a much steadier track record this season and might be more relied on in high-pressure situations.

Free agent eligible at the end of the year, the Pennsylvania product has set himself up nicely for a likely multi-year payday and is also entering qualifying offer territory for the Blue Jays as well with his 2.4 bWAR. It will be interesting to see what the Jays’ front office does, considering they did not present one to Matz last year when he finished with a 2.1 bWAR (obviously two different pitchers in different scenarios but still interesting to note).

Overall, the Blue Jays are heading to the playoffs and Ross Stripling and his spectacular pitching this year have been a big contributor. I have no doubt that he will be relied upon this upcoming postseason and will likely cash in this offseason as well, whether that is with the Blue Jays or somewhere else.