Rising Dodgers Rookie Out for Season After Torn UCL
The Los Angeles Dodgers have faced another major setback with their pitching rotation, as River Ryan exited Saturday night’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates due to forearm tightness. The promising rookie was forced off the mound during the fifth inning, ending his night abruptly. This marks yet another blow for a Dodgers rotation already grappling with numerous injuries.
Ryan initially felt discomfort in his forearm during the third inning, attempting to alleviate the pain using a massage gun between innings. However, by the fifth inning, the tightness returned, leading Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts to remove him from the game. The immediate aftermath saw Ryan placed on the injured list the following day, and subsequent tests confirmed a torn UCL in his throwing elbow, necessitating Tommy John surgery.
The diagnosis is a significant blow not just to the Dodgers' current season but also to Ryan’s budding career. The rookie's 2024 season is now concluded, and the recovery process could see him sidelined for most, if not all, of 2025. This development has wiped out the Dodgers' hopes for Ryan, who made his debut earlier this year and had already missed the first two months of the season due to a sore shoulder.
Ryan’s injury compounds the struggles facing the Dodgers' rotation. Bobby Miller, another promising talent, has also dealt with shoulder inflammation. Despite returning to play, Miller struggled significantly, posting an 8.07 ERA across seven big-league starts before being sent down. His performance in Triple-A did little to inspire confidence, with a 5.82 ERA and almost as many walks (16) as strikeouts (17) in five starts.
In response to Ryan’s injury, the Dodgers have called up right-handed pitcher Landon Knack from the minors. However, the team faces a daunting challenge: they have used 17 different starting pitchers this season, the most in baseball. This constant rotation speaks to the depth of their injury woes and the resilience required to maintain their current standing.
Despite these challenges, the Dodgers remain resilient. With a record of 70-49, they hold the best record in the National League, standing 3 1/2 games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres. Manager Dave Roberts and his staff are now tasked with piecing together a coherent rotation for the postseason, a task that will require strategic maneuvering to preserve the health of their remaining arms and manage innings carefully.
Baseball America’s evaluation of Ryan captures the potential now left unrealized for the coming seasons: he "has the stuff to be a mid-rotation starter." This accolade underscores the high hopes the Dodgers had for Ryan, reflecting the broader ambitions of a team contending for the top spot in the National League amidst a season of adversity.
The Dodgers’ focus will now be on maintaining their position at the top of the standings while navigating the tumultuous landscape of their pitching staff. Every move, every game, will hinge on carefully preserved arms and tactical decisions to push through the season and into the postseason.
This turn of events challenges the Dodgers to once again demonstrate the resilience and depth that have carried them this far. The road ahead is fraught with hurdles, but for a franchise that has faced its share of trials, the journey is far from over.