Stripling will not be part of the Blue Jays' Opening Day starting rotation, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Stripling seemed likely to be the odd man out after the team signed Yusei Kikuchi in mid-March. He's been a starter in 21 of his 29 appearances for the Blue Jays since joining the team in the middle of the 2020 season, and he should add a handful more starts this season. Stripling is likely the next man up whenever one of Toronto's starting five suffers an injury, though the nod could also go to Nate Pearson depending on the young righty's health and development.

Stripling agreed to a one-year, $3.79 million contract with the Blue Jays on Monday, avoiding arbitration, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Stripling will set his sights on earning a spot in Toronto's starting rotation after getting his new deal sorted out. He's coming off a 2021 campaign in which 19 of his 24 appearances were starts, though he'll have some competition near the back end of the rotation with Yusei Kikuchi and Nate Pearson.

Stripling will be treated as a starting pitcher this spring, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

EDGE Analysis

The Blue Jays' starting rotation gained an additional back-end starter when the team signed Yusei Kikuchi on Saturday, which could leave Stripling as an odd man out once the regular season begins. However, the right-hander will be stretched out as a starter during spring training. Regardless of whether Stripling has a spot in the starting rotation to begin the 2022 campaign, he should be available as one of the team's top options for spot starts.

Stripling (5-7) allowed five runs on five hits and a walk in 1.1 innings, taking the loss Wednesday versus Tampa Bay.

EDGE Analysis

The right-hander was expected to serve as the primary pitcher in the contest, but he made a mess of the third inning and only ended up recording four outs. Stripling now has a 4.89 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 94:30 K:BB across 99.1 innings this year. He's still building up his pitch count after returning from an oblique injury nearly two weeks ago. If Hyun Jin Ryu (neck) isn't ready to return next week, Stripling could serve in a piggyback role during the three-game series versus the Yankees.

Stripling is expected to pitch behind opener Julian Merryweather against the Rays on Wednesday, Gregor Chisholm of the Toronto Star reports.

EDGE Analysis

Merryweather and Stripling are poised to fill the rotation spot of Hyun Jin Ryu (neck), who was placed on the injured list over the weekend. Stripling last pitched Friday and allowed a run over three innings, and he's thrown about 45 pitches in each of his last two outings, so he should have a similar workload Wednesday.

Stripling threw a side session Monday and is slated to either start or work as a bulk reliever in Wednesday's game against the Rays in Tampa Bay, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.

EDGE Analysis

He'll be stepping in for at least one turn through the rotation as a replacement for Hyun Jin Ryu, who was placed on the injured list Sunday with a neck strain. Stripling has made two relief appearances for Toronto since being reinstated from the injured list Sept. 11 after about a month-long absence due to an oblique injury. Before the shutdown, he started in 19 of his 20 appearances for the Blue Jays, compiling a 4.34 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 91:28 K:BB across 93.1 innings.

Contrary to a previous report, Stripling will not start Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader against the Orioles, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.

EDGE Analysis

Thomas Hatch will get the start, but Stripling could still pitch in relief at some point during Saturday's twin bill.

Stripling will start Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader against the Orioles.

EDGE Analysis

This will be Stripling's first big-league appearance since Aug. 10, as he missed a month with an oblique injury. He logged 1.1 innings in a rehab appearance earlier this week, so he may not be able to pitch enough innings to qualify for the win in Saturday's nightcap.

Stripling (oblique) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list Friday.

EDGE Analysis

Stripling made a rehab start at Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday and allowed a hit and a walk while striking out one in 1.1 scoreless innings. If he isn't needed out of the bullpen Friday, the right-hander will likely be considered to start one of the two games in Saturday's doubleheader.

Stripling (oblique) is making a rehab start Tuesday for Triple-A Buffalo, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.

EDGE Analysis

If things go well in this start, Stripling could be an option to pitch in Saturday's doubleheader in Baltimore on three days' rest, although he obviously wouldn't log a full starter's workload in that scenario. Either way, it seems like he will be back in the big-league rotation in short order if he avoids setbacks.