Dodgers Scratch Fife Due To illness, Zach Lee Gets The Start

And now my favorite goggle wearing starter is sick. The Angels are just bad luck I think. I can’t wait for them to leave town.

Anyways, the Dodgers have announced this afternoon, that tonight’s starter in the second game of the three game Freeway series against the Angels, right hander Stephen Fife was scratched tonight due to illness. The Dodgers had previously announced last night after their 7-5 loss to the Halos, during their postgame presser that Fife would get the nod in the second game of the series.

Instead the Dodgers will give the ball to super prospect Zach Lee. The 22-year old right hander has impressed this spring down in Glendale during spring training. Lee was tapped for one start this spring, and pitched in two games total. In just over four frames this spring, Lee has allowed three earned runs on five hits, with two walks, and five whiffs.

The results aren’t important though, as the rookie right hander has looked sharp during his spring outings. Last season for Chattanooga, Lee made 25 starts and pitched in 28 games. He posted a 10-10 record, and struck out 135 batters in 142.2 innings tossed. Lee walked just 35, and posted an 8.3 whiff per nine rate, 2.2 walk per nine rate, and a 1.17 WHIP.

Lee has a 25-22 career minor league record, with a 3.67 ERA, a 7.8 whiff per nine rate, and a 2.4 walk rate. Last season Lee was named to the Southern League all-star team and was awarded as the Dodger’s minor league pitcher of the year. Baseball Prospectus ranked Lee as the 84th best prospect in all of Baseball before the 2014 season.