Despite injuries to their starting rotation, the Los Angeles Dodgers are sitting pretty at 36-20. They have a 4.5-game lead in the National League West entering play on May 29.
However, the health of their rotation might be their biggest concern at the moment. They are currently down two starters, with Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell on the injured list. But one pitching prospect could force the Dodgers into a decision in the near future.
Following another dominant start with Triple-A Oklahoma City, River Ryan has presented himself as a potential rotation solution for the Dodgers. The hard-throwing right-hander threw six innings of one-run ball, striking out eight, in a win over the Sugar Land Space Cowboys.
Dodgers Face Major Rotation Decision With River Ryan Dominating in Triple-A
Since returning from a hamstring injury on May 15, River Ryan has forced himself into the Dodgers’ rotation conversations. In three starts, totaling 15 innings, the right-hander has allowed two runs (one earned) with 19 strikeouts to one walk.
His start against Sugar Land was especially important. Ryan completed six innings and threw 87 pitches on the night. That makes him stretched out enough to be a valid rotation option as the Dodgers try to navigate their current injuries.
Ryan averaged 97.5 MPH and utilized his full six-pitch mix to keep the Cowboys off the board. The right-hander induced 15 whiffs, with 33 of his 87 pitches (38%) resulting in a called or swinging strike.
The only run that came to score was on a throwing error from a rehabbing Tommy Edman. With runners on the corners, Ryan had the runner at first picked off. In the ensuing rundown, the runner at third attempted to score and was safe after Edman’s throw home bounced in front of the plate and got away from Eliezer Alfonzo.
Ultimately, that run probably isn’t going to matter much in the Dodgers’ evaluation of whether the right-hander is ready to return to the big leagues. Assuming the club will stick with a six-man rotation, Ryan could return when Los Angeles travels to Chase Field to take on the Arizona Diamondbacks in a key intradivisional series.
Dodgers Rotation Injury Updates
The Dodgers certainly hope to get both Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow soon. Glasnow is dealing with back spasms that flared up at the start of the month and Snell is recovering from a procedure to remove loose bodies in his pitching elbow.
Glasnow could be the first pitcher back of the two. The right-hander made a significant step in his recovery, as he’s back to playing catch. The next step will be getting the 6’8″ starter back on the mound and starting the ramp-up process again.
With Glasnow being shut down for at least three weeks, he may require something close to a Spring Training-like ramp-up. The Dodgers have plenty of avenues they could pursue in this process, including bullpens, live BP, or a lengthy rehab assignment. Most likely, a rehab assignment is the final step before the right-hander can be activated from the injured list.
Snell will take longer to recover. The left-hander underwent the new NanoNeedle procedure, the same one Tarik Skubal underwent this season. The hope is that this newer procedure will allow for a quicker recovery than older methods to address this problem.
Skubal underwent his procedure on May 6. In just 20 days after the surgery, he’s progressed to a three-inning simulated game. Christian Romo of the Detroit Free Press reported that the left-hander threw 39 pitches in the sim game.
While the Dodgers wait for both Snell and Glasnow to finish their rehab, it may make sense for them to give River Ryan a short runway. If that doesn’t work, then exploring a trade for Skubal could be what their rotation needs in their quest to complete the first three-peat in 26 seasons.
Dodgers Face Major Rotation Decision With Rising Prospect