When the Los Angeles Dodgers opened camp this year they had several starting pitchers competing for the two remaining spots in the rotation. The picture began to sort itself out as the days and weeks wore one, with Ross Stripling becoming one of the first options no longer under consideration.
It was not doom and gloom for the right-hander, however. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Stripling instead was vying for a spot on the active roster as a long reliever. When the final spot in the rotation boiled down to Brandon McCarthy or Alex Wood, with the loser of the competition bound for the bullpen, there was some thought it spelled trouble for Stripling.