Dodgers Team News

Dodgers News: Ross Stripling Reportedly Included in Pederson Deal to Angels

It’s a crazy busy time for the Dodgers, and it just won’t stop. After reports that Joc Pederson was going to Anaheim in exchange for an infield prospect, the rumors expanded to include “a big league starter,” amongst more in a deal that was still coming together.

The Dodgers prospect was later reported to be Andy Pages, a 19-year-old, power-hitting outfield prospect, but now the rumors of who the big league starter is have been confirmed.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic confirmed that Dodgers swing man Ross Stripling is heading down the 5 freeway as part of the deal that includes Pederson for Luis Rengifo.

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Stripling, a 2018 All-Star as a starter in the National League, has long been a pitcher without a true roll in Los Angeles. Now he’ll slot into the rotation in Orange County and help bolster a starting rotation that is widely considered below average.

While Dodger fans have undoubtedly grown to love their “Chicken Strip,” the desire to remain at or under the competitive balance tax threshold proved to be the driving force behind sending Pederson (at least $7.5M due in 2020, pending upcoming salary arbitration, and $2.1M for Stripling).

Related: Salary Implications of Betts, Price, Pederson Trade Day

That desire reached a fever pitch after Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman reportedly completed a deal that brought 2018 AL MVP Mookie Betts and former AL Cy Young award winner David Price to Los Angeles in a three-team move with Boston and Minnesota in exchange for outfielder Alex Verdugo and right-handed pitcher Kenta Maeda.

In exchange for Pederson, Stripling, and Pages, LA picked up a highly regarded defender in Rengifo who made his MLB debut last season. While Rengifo may profile as a Kiké Hernandez of the future, his role with the Dodgers isn’t immediately apparent. He’s has two option years remaining, which plays up for the club.

Best of luck to Ross Stripling down in Anaheim!

PODCAST: Immediate Reactions to Betts Trade Day

Clint Pasillas

Clint Pasillas has been writing, blogging, and podcasting about the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2008. Under Clint's leadership as the Lead Editor, Dodgers Nation has grown into one of the most read baseball sites in the world with millions of unique visitors per month. Find him online on Twitter/X or his YouTube channel!

31 Comments

    1. I’m happy for Strip… He never got a chance to have a real role with LA. When he did he made the most of it going to the All Star Game but he was always graded out as a “Tweener”: Starting or Long Relief. He didn’t really have the mentality to do anything else in the bull pen. Some guys are just cut out to be in a starting role (need the slow rev-up to their best pitching) while others can jump out of the pan into the fire and their high adrenalin makes them immediately ‘in the game.” Which makes me wonder what kind of pitchers Dylan Floro and Scott Alexander are?

      Good job Ross Stripling. Here hoping you and Joc do well for the Halos…

  1. He’s a good guy, has a nasty slider and deserves to pitch inna rotation. He was not a guy you can win a World series with though.!Hope he does well.

  2. Folks, I am not sure what to take from the trade with Anges, as it appears Dodgers got salary relief (potentially) by moving Joc. But it appears Dodgers did not get much if anything in return.

    1. We didn’t need anything in return. What this trade with the Halos did was create roster space and cap room. We git rid of two guys with no roles after this trade and gave them a chance to be productive somewhere else without having to move across the country… a win-win for everyone… except the Red Soxs who got TORCHED!

      1. Blue, as long as Gonsolin does not end up being part of deal with Angels, then I am good with it. We certainly, after not having to move May, Gray, Gonsolin or Lux in Boston trade then ok by me. True because if Pollock is healthy enough to play full time, and that’s what he wants to do, then playing time for Joc would be limited to begin with. Earlier in this off season, Roberts talked about working Lux in LF this ST, so at least Dodgers are equipped to deal with any future injury issues with Pollock.

      2. “with no roles after this trade”

        Yeah. Who needs anyone that can actually hit the post season.

        Oh wait…

      3. 100% Right on with what you said. Anyone wanting same old mediocre to low level performance from these guys doesn’t understand the talent looming in the minors.

      4. It still does not make sense. If it to clear roster space why include the minor leaguer? If it’s to reduce salary why include Strip and the minor leaguer? Rengifo is not worth all that. There is something missing here!

  3. Sorry to see Stripling go. Roberts overused him in the first half of 2018, and it messed him up. He lost about 3 mph on his fastball which he never recovered. But he was still the utility guy of the pitching staff, able to do fill any role at a high level. His versatility will be missed.

    1. Overused as in being the full time starter that everyone thinks he should be so I guess he can’t handle it

  4. Well, if these trades don’t work out and the Dodgers flame out yet again in the playoffs, they can always accuse the other team of cheating..who knows, maybe the California legislature will pass a law declaring them champions anyway!

    1. Terry all we did was guarantee this inevitable postseason elimination is more embarrassing and pathetic than usual and I say that because they won’t be signing Betts to his ridiculous demands

  5. Are We still toting this as a good trade…
    Alot of good pieces had to fall away for a 1 year Rental. And this bizarre feeling that we have to stay under this tax.
    I’d rather have the best possible TEAM together and actually trade some of our talented players for other TALENTED players Joc and Stripling For What. We have utility Players???
    Just to dump Salary STUPID….
    These players needed to be traded for a 3rd baseman or a big arm for the BP SOMETHING.
    Betts not even a .200 batting ave in postseason?

    1. I think it was a good trade because we needed a right handed power hitter, and another veteran starting pitcher. Betts can also lead off and steal bases which has been a weak area for the Dodgers for a long time. There will be situations in the postseason where a single run needs to be manufactured (like game 5 against the Nats, 9th and 10th innings). Betts has the base stealing ability for that as well as the power to go deep. I agree that we didn’t seem to get much for Pederson. Salary cap was the issue, so low cost prospects were the target. But a platoon guy who hits more home runs than than 95 percent of the full time guys was probably worth more prospect capital.

      1. 106, we see things a lot the same way. I can tell you’ve played a lot, and probably coached as well!

        1. Yes! Kirk Lyons, we hear you. Because everything 106 says you will agree and do it without any reservation. So if 106 says eating dog poop is good for you, we know you’ll go eat it right away.

    2. I somewhat agree with you. This is a gamble for a possible rental. How about putting declining Kershaw on the block?

  6. Still not sure what to think about the Anaheim trade. Pedersen and Stripling for a prospect? I guess, if it gets them below the threshold, that’s OK but pretty meaningless. Might as well have traded them for a bunch of Mike Trout rookie cards. I do like the fact that it gives both Pedersen and Stripling a chance to get more regular time and perhaps show what they can do. They were good soldiers for the Dodgers over the years.

  7. He was a starter with a low level fastball. His slider had to be perfect and the umpire in his corner with a big zone. No upside wharsoever. The FO has drained the swamp getting rid of Maeda. Strip and Pederson who were mediocre at the very best. Sweet thinning out of the roster while adding Price who is better than Maeda any day. Betts makes the Dodgers the favorites. Well don Friedman. Never thought I would see the day.

    1. I kind of see Price replacing Ryu, a wash because Price has shown he can shut down line ups in Oct! Betts replacing Joc was just phenomenal! Maeda replaced by Wood, we lose on that one, but between Urius,Gonsolin and May replacing Stripling another great replacement option! I agree about Friedman! Give credit where due!! He pulled off his best moves so far for the Dodgers!

  8. Kike Hernandez will be a free agent after this season, and it appears likely that he’ll leave, the same way that Pederson would have. I honestly think Rengifo will start the season in AAA, simply because there won’t be any room in April, if no one is injured. He likely has a bigger role in 2021. As for Stripling, they brought back Alex Wood, signed reclamation project Jimmy Nelson, and will of course be slotting Price in as the #3 guy. That leaves two rotation spots available. Obviously everyone hopes that they are claimed by Urias and May, but there are plenty of other options, even with Stripling apparently departing. It seems odd to me that there isn’t more of a market for him though. He’s a cheap option that made an All-Star team just two years ago, and would seem to have more value than a simply throw-in for a cash dump.

  9. Pederson is a streak hitter: he carried the club for a week last season. But a lot of his numbers came against the weakest pitchers — and he hit very well in garbage time. OPS overstates his value as a hitter. Toward the end of last season he started to try to be more of a contact hitter. But once the Dodgers had clinched the pennant he seems to have decided that his long-term contract value was proportional to the number of home runs he hit.

  10. My favorite part is going to be when he says that he’s demanding crazy money, not for himself, but to help others in free agency. He’s not trying to get as much as possible for himself, he’s trying to help others!

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