The invitation to join the most effective bullpen in baseball — a group that led the major leagues in innings and strikeouts while posting the lowest collective earned-run average — came without much specificity.
On a day in September, Dodgers rookie Ross Stripling listened to instructions from bullpen coach Josh Bard. Stripling had spent most of his first season as a starter, but the team determined he could better serve in the playoffs as a reliever. Bard told him to be ready for anything — a one-batter cameo, a one-inning stint, a multiple-inning marathon.
Unsure how to approach the uncertainty, Stripling sought advice from veteran Joe Blanton, an expert on the free-flowing composition of the team’s bullpen and the decision-making of Manager Dave Roberts.