The Dodgers have officially activated veteran southpaw Rich Hill to make his 2019 debut, per Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. To make room for Hill on the active roster, left-handed pitcher Caleb Ferguson has been placed on the 10-day injured list with an oblique injury. Hill will make his first start of the young season in Sunday’s game against the Pirates.
The injury is the latest in what has been a frustrating start to the 2019 season for Ferguson. A cursory glance at his 3.26 ERA does not tell the whole story. In fact, Ferguson has had trouble preventing home runs and walks, having conceded 8 bases no balls and 3 home runs in just 13 innings of work. Despite the similar 3.49 ERA in 2018, Ferguson enjoyed considerably more success in those two departments last season, when he allowed a more respectable 1.5 HR/9 and 2.2 BB/9, to go along with 10.8 K/9.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles will gladly welcome back the 39-year-old Hill, who has been an integral part of the club’s stellar starting rotation since he joined the club in 2016. To be sure, the Dodgers’ pitching staff has fared just fine without Hill, but he represents the latest boon to a rotation that began the season with both Hill and ace Clayton Kershaw on the shelf. Hill’s return gives the Dodgers seven realistic options to start, though it’s unclear just how his arrival will shake up the rest of the Dodgers’ starters. Kenta Maeda is certainly an option to move to the bullpen, and is probably the most likely to do so with both Ross Stripling and Hyun Jin Ryu performing well behind stalwarts Kershaw and Walker Buehler. Julio Urias, who has also enjoyed an encouraging start to the season, has already been moved to the bullpen. Surely, these are good problems to have for the first-place Dodgers, who find themselves with bountiful options in the event that another starter suffers an injury.
Meh
Maeda needs to go to the bullpen they need help.
Stripling is going to the bullpen. This was known when he made his last start.
Another dumb bullpen move…
Whatever. My point was any speculation about who might be going to the pen with Hill’s return was unnecessary. Even before Stripling made his last start everyone knew he was shifting back to relief, including the player, who commented on his situation to the local media. Roberts was also asked if he’d considered using Stripling as an opener, to which he said no.
And Maeda is the scheduled starter in San Francisco tomorrow.
Your answer are always predicting what the Dodgers are going to do we all know what they are going to do we all read the same stuff that’s not interesting to me. Tell me what they should do?
What a puzzling question. If you’re having a problem understanding my point just reread what I wrote. It couldn’t be more clear, really.
Think for yourself instead of predicting what they will do like you did all offseason. Now question is what would you do put Stripling back in the bullpen or Maeda we all know what the Dodgers are going to do.
You really are having a very basic reading issue here. I was only pointing out that the article made an incorrect statement. It was never “unclear” how Hill’s return would alter the rotation, because Stripling had already been shifted to the bullpen, a fact that the writer of this article apparently did not know. So what was going to happen wasn’t unclear, it was perfectly clear, because it had already happened. Got it yet?
Discussion boards are meant for hypothetical questions and answers if I wanted to know what they would do next I would just follow Dodgers news what’s clearly all you do and then report it here. Lame. All offseason you would always say they will do this instead of I think they should. You think your the only one who can follow the team and report it on here. Haha Lame, think for yourself.
You are not thinking for yourself, zachgwest. You have not offered anything. Your lack of reading comprehension indicates that you are not thinking at all..
His point is valid. There is no need to speculate about the Dodgers bullpen move because we already know what they are going to do. It’s pretty sad that you cannot understand that.
By the way you are talking you are BlueSky nice try. Also, I am thinking for myself as in Maeda was very good out the bullpen at one time and they need bullpen help. Striping is having a great year of SP better than Maeda so given those 2 facts I suggest my conclusion.
Always great how the Dodger pitchers take turns being hurt. Their timing is always perfect. Coming from a dodger fan as well.
Dodgers tend to manipulate the IL to bolster roster spots when needed; keeps players options intact for stronger Team control…
Urias does not belong in the bullpen
Long term no, but he has had some issues that would warrant them trying to keep his workload under control
He is on a innings limit if he starts they will have to shut him down in august. I agree he is a dominate starter and he may be in the playoffs but for now that is where he has to go
i see Julio in a Haderesque roll for the near future