Stripling (stiff neck) '50-50' to make next start

LOS ANGELES – Dodgers starting pitcher Ross Stripling and second baseman Kiké Hernández left Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to the Angels with injuries, Stripling’s sounding more serious than Hernandez’s.

Stripling left his start after five innings and 62 pitches with neck stiffness that hindered his mechanics and decreased velocity, even though he retired 13 of the last 14 batters faced. After receiving treatment, he said he was “50-50” to make his next start, but said it was still stiff.

“As we saw, when it’s not right, I’m not throwing very hard,” he said. “We’ll play the next few days by ear and see where we’re at.”

Hernandez left after injuring his left hand on an awkward swing-and-miss in a fourth-inning at-bat. X-rays were negative.

Stripling, subbing in the rotation for the injured Rich Hill, is lined up to start again on Tuesday in Colorado. He said he plans to make the team flight to Washington on Thursday, while wary of the effects of a long flight on what he said were inflamed facet joints, for which he’s received treatment earlier in the season.

“It basically means I can’t move my neck very well, so when you think about trying to finish your pitch, the last two percent is the whip and I had to keep my neck still and I was throwing 87, 88 heaters up there,” Stripling said. “Frustrating, for sure.”