SF Giants activate RHP Ross Stripling, place RHP Luke Jackson on IL
The SF Giants activated right-handed pitcher Ross Stripling from the injured list on Sunday prior to the team's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. They placed right-handed reliever Luke Jackson on the 15-day injured list with a lower back strain in a corresponding move. Jackson left Saturday afternoon's game with lower back tightness after facing just one hitter.
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Stripling has been on the injured list since mid-May with a back injury. After inking a two-year, $25 million contract with the Giants this offseason, Stripling's tenure with his new team got off to a rough start. Stripling lost his spot in the rotation after a pair of rough outings and has a 7.24 ERA in nine appearances with 26 strikeouts, 10 walks, and 10 home runs allowed in 32.1 innings pitched.
Stripling and the Giants hoped to use his time on the IL to help him attempt to corral his arsenal and rekindle his previous form. The righty feels like he's made some significant strides over the past two weeks while he's made a trio of rehab outings in the minor leagues. Stripling struck out 10 across 4+ innings of work in an appearance on Friday with the San Jose Giants at Single-A.
Stripling would be pitching on two days' rest if he appeared in Sunday's game. So, it seems like the Giants would prefer to avoid using him if possible. However, their bullpen has been heavily taxed this week, and Jackson's injury likely pushed San Francisco to try and add another arm back to the roster.
The team could have recalled righty Sean Hjelle (preseason #28 prospect), but he has already been optioned three times this season. A new MLB rule requires a player to be placed on waivers if they are optioned more than five times. With Stripling (and Alex Cobb) likely coming off the injured list later this week, the team was likely hesitant to burn one of Hjelle's options.
Similarly to Stripling, Jackson signed a two-year, $11.5 million deal with the Giants this offseason. He did not appear in a game last season after undergoing UCL surgery and returned to the field last month. Jackson has posted a 2.16 ERA with 10 strikeouts and just three walks across 8.1 innings pitched (nine appearances) since he was activated from the injured list.
