Dave Roberts pulls rookie amid no-hitter, it backfires, fans go nuts
Ross Stripling was poised to join Bumpus Jones in the record books.
The Los Angeles Dodgers' rookie right-hander had pitched 7 1/3 hitless innings in his major league debut Friday night at San Francisco. The only pitcher in major league history to throw a no-hitter in his MLB debut is Jones on Oct. 15, 1892, for Cincinnati against Pittsburgh, according to STATS.
Then, after Stripling issued a one-out walk, new Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made the gutsy move: He removed Stripling after 100 pitches and replaced him with Chris Hatcher, who gave up a two-run homer to Trevor Brown that tied the game at 2.
The 26-year-old Stripling, a 2012 fifth-round draft pick who skipped Triple-A altogether, had undergone Tommy John surgery and was being handled carefully. However, fans on Twitter went yard:
No hitter in his #mlb debut and he was yanked and the Dodgers lost the game ?????????? pic.twitter.com/KdPTuq8Zf4
— sexonfire (@_yourenotyour) April 9, 2016
Dave Roberts will learn that helicopter managing with a fertilizer bullpen is recipe for agony. #Dodgers
— Ben Maller (@benmaller) April 9, 2016
Pedro Martinez on MLB Network suggesting #Dodgers had "pre-set" 100-pitch limit for Stripling before game. That's not a Dave Roberts call.
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) April 9, 2016
landed in LA and the amount of sad dodgers fans on the flight is hilarious! #SFGiants
— Lisanne (@U2sannieGO) April 9, 2016
Wow. Dodgers go from a no-hitter to the game being tied to their manager being ejected. pic.twitter.com/hCdaBVUY93
— Mark Van Baale (@markvanbaale) April 9, 2016
This DREAM GAME for @RossSterling is turning into a NIGHTMARE for the @Dodgers! Baseball can be a cruel and humbling sport!
— Curt Sandoval (@abc7curt) April 9, 2016
Jeff Kellogg could've done everybody a favor and tossed Dave Roberts at the start of the inning #Dodgers #FreeRossStripling
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) April 9, 2016
Do you think LA will riot of the #Giants win this game? #Dodgers
— Dylan Miles (@DylanOnDeck) April 9, 2016
That kid might never ever get another opportunity like that again his entire career. Way to go @Dodgers
— Eric Roser (@therealroser) April 9, 2016
Almost as impressive as his pitching, Ross Stripling is still watching this game from the top step of the #Dodgers dugout.
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) April 9, 2016
On second thought, VERY happy I cant watch this trainwreck on TV, I have better ways to entertain myself, the @Dodgers will NEVER win the WS
— RAW (@RAWs_tweets) April 9, 2016
Oh, I know it's the right call but good lord Dave Roberts just pulled a guy who had thrown 7.1 of no-hit ball in HIS MLB DEBUT #Stripling
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) April 9, 2016
I'm ready for Dodgers/Crying Jordan memes https://t.co/VhsiDCY6R0
— El Johnerico⚾ (@big_john819) April 9, 2016
5 outs from history. @Dodgers take Wild-Enough-To-Be-Effective @RossStripling out after 4 walks & no hits? Let him win or lose it himself.
— Jim Darrien (@JimDarrien) April 9, 2016
Yea Dave Roberts HAD to get ejected after THAT decision. Was a tough one tho. #Dodgers #NoNono
— John Forchione (@johnforchione) April 9, 2016
Current state of the Dodgers coaching staff. pic.twitter.com/gMi2GQgRAw
— Michael Micheletti (@MichelettiSF) April 9, 2016
Every season in something happens where pessimist @KeithSedg says @Dodgers will lose 100 games. Pulling stripling elicited said comment.
— Kristin Sedgwick (@KrisSedgwick) April 9, 2016
What in the world are the #Dodgers brain trust in the dugout doing??? #MLB #LADvsSFG pic.twitter.com/MLumNRrslh
— Augie (@AugieRunGood) April 9, 2016
This feels like a @Dodgers team that is being coached by the ghost of #Mattingly. #SFGiants
— AT&T Park Seagull (@ATTSeagull) April 9, 2016
That's the Dodgers for you.. Dave Roberts is an idiot for that. It helped us so that's good HA! https://t.co/rH1ca9toOH
— Ricky Reyes (@iamreyricky) April 9, 2016
#Dodgers Mgr Dave Roberts also sends back a Ruth's Chris steak & splits a pair of Queens at the Blackjack Table #justsaying
— Tony Lopez (@tlomedia) April 9, 2016
@kayjay90 do the Dodgers ever know what they're doing?
— Alanna Pardini (@xoxo_alanna_) April 9, 2016
Ik it's his major league debut, but seriously how are the Dodgers gonna remove Stripling when he's throwing a no hitter #BossStripling
— Isaac Parks (@YoGinger_Isaac) April 9, 2016
And I don't like the #Dodgers just rookie had a chance to make history and they took it #EsteAmorNoSeVa
— el_Topher (@C9G) April 9, 2016
The @Dodgers just violated the idea of baseball sanctity far more than replay or bat flips ever will. #Tradition https://t.co/Xet5ZQk2i7
— El Travieso (@Travischevious) April 9, 2016
Dodgers fans right now.... pic.twitter.com/80E1wLsbwt
— RotoQL (@rotoqlapp) April 9, 2016
This should be a crime. Dude may never have a chance for a no-no again @Dodgers https://t.co/GqTCyrSQow
— Laramie Hall (@LaramieHall15) April 9, 2016
5th game of the year. Rookie has a no-hitter in the 8th.He walks a guy and you pull him!?Grow a pair and let him finish.#Stripling #Dodgers
— Ben Leber (@nacholeber) April 9, 2016
That's what the dodgers get. How do you justify pulling a rookie throwing a no no I'm his debut? https://t.co/pKZSkLTX3V
— Big Ron (@So_Far_Ron) April 9, 2016
You can't take a pitcher out with 5 outs to go, at 100 pitches...the fact that it lead to a blown lead makes it even worse #Dodgers #Giants
— Sam Wilbur (@samwilbur) April 9, 2016
One does not simply pull a rookie pitcher in the 8th inning when he's pitching a no-hitter. #Dodgers
— David M Quinn (@dmquinn) April 9, 2016
WTF @Dodgers—it's like Mattingly's still here. @RossStripling = robbed! I feel for u, bro. Won't be mad if u try to punch Roberts #Dodgers
— Ongie Chin (@TheRealOChin) April 9, 2016
Lol one more reason to hate the @Dodgers. Being general asshats taking out a rookie with a no-hitter. Sorry Ross... https://t.co/Koe3vaXGoe
— Johnathon Bernat (@JBernat88) April 9, 2016