Former Toronto Blue Jays Fan Favorite Announces MLB Retirement
A former Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher announced his retirement on Monday after nine Major League seasons.
Ross Stripling, who spent more than three seasons with the Blue Jays, made the announcement on social media.
For his career he went 40-54 with a 4.17 ERA in 248 appearances and 129 starts. He struck out 741 and walked 197. He also finished with a career wins above replacement (WAR) of 6.9.
In the post, the 35-year-old included a thank you to many along with images of himself and the four teams he played for, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Athletics and the San Francisco Giants.
“It never could have been possible without my family and friends,” he wrote. “I also want to give a huge thank you to all of my coaches and teammates over the years. I had so much love and support along the way, and I’m thankful to everyone that was a part of it in any form or fashion. All of you helped me be the best baseball player I could be.”
His best season in the Majors was his best season in Toronto. In 2022 he went 10-4 with a 3.01 ERA in 32 games (24 starts) as the Blue Jays won 92 games and lost in the AL Wild Card playoffs to the Seattle Mariners. He struck out a career-high 111 and walked 20 in a career-high 134.1 innings. His durability and desire to either start or relieve made him a respected member of the pitching staff.
After the season, he left in free agency as he signed a two-year $25 million contract with the Giants, with an opt-out after the 2023 season. But he never approached the production he had that season.
He spent one year with the Giants one with the Athletics. He was in camp with the Kansas City Royals earlier this year but didn’t make the team.
The Dodgers selected Stripling in the fifth round of the 2012 MLB draft out of Texas A&M. He made his Major League debut in 2016 and spent the next four seasons with the Dodgers. While with Los Angeles he earned his only All-Star Game berth in 2018.
