UPDATE (Aug. 10, 10:50 a.m.): Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Ross Stripling will start in place of Rich Hill on Friday.
The Los Angeles Dodgers were believed to be in pursuit of a starting pitcher, an outfielder and bullpen help prior to the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline. They were able to check off two of those boxes with one deal when they acquired Josh Reddick and Rich Hill from the Oakland Athletics for Grant Holmes, Frankie Montas, and Jharel Cotton.
While Reddick has gotten off to slow start in his brief tenure with Los Angeles, Hill has yet to debut with his new club. The southpaw has been sidelined since mid-July with a lingering blister on the middle finger of his throwing hand.
Hill missed a previously scheduled start against the Boston Red Sox when a new blister formed on a different part of his hand. He was scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Tuesday but didn’t.
While Brandon McCarthy and Ross Stripling each threw in the bullpen, Hill never advanced beyond playing catch on flat ground. He said that was a precaution, not a sign of the blister preventing him from doing so.
“I think with Rich we just wanted him to play catch to keep his arm in shape. We’ve got some stuff on it to keep that blister at bay,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “We’re still looking forward to him making that start on Friday.”
On the season Hill is 9-3 with a 2.25 ERA, 2.53 FIP and 1.09 WHIP. He racked up 90 strikeouts and walked 28 batters over 76 innings pitched with the Athletics. Considering he was removed after just five pitches on July 17 because of the blister issue, Hill’s last true start was July 7.
Despite the prolonged time missed, the Dodgers to this point have maintained confidence a rehab start or assignment isn’t necessary for the 36-year-old.
