The Los Angeles Dodgers' Ailing Rotation Endures Another Hit
The Los Angeles Dodgers have encountered yet another setback to their already beleaguered pitching rotation, with the young right-hander River Ryan making an early exit from Saturday night’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates due to forearm tightness. The incident occurred in the fifth inning, ultimately leading to Ryan's forced departure from the mound.
Ryan first experienced discomfort in the third inning, attempting to mitigate the pain between innings with the aid of a massage gun. However, by the fifth inning, the tightness had returned, prompting Manager Dave Roberts to remove Ryan from the game as a precautionary measure. A subsequent diagnosis revealed a torn UCL in Ryan’s throwing elbow, necessitating Tommy John surgery, a procedure that effectively ends Ryan's 2024 season and casts doubt on his availability for most, if not all, of 2025.
The injury to Ryan, who made his debut earlier this year, represents a significant blow to the Dodgers. The organization harbored high hopes for the rookie right-hander, viewing him as a promising addition to their pitching lineup. Unfortunately, Ryan's career debut season was already marred by a sore shoulder that sidelined him for the first two months, and now his season ends prematurely with this severe injury.
Compounding the Dodgers' pitching woes, another budding pitcher, Bobby Miller, also missed significant time earlier due to shoulder inflammation. Upon his return, Miller struggled mightily, posting an 8.07 ERA in seven big-league starts before being demoted. His time in Triple-A wasn't much better, with a 5.82 ERA and a concerning walk-to-strikeout ratio of nearly one-to-one (16 walks to 17 strikeouts in five starts).
With Ryan joining an ever-increasing list of sidelined pitchers, the Dodgers have now used a staggering 17 different starting pitchers this season, the highest number in baseball. In an effort to fill the void left by Ryan, the Dodgers have called up right-handed pitcher Landon Knack.
Despite these hurdles, the Dodgers have managed to maintain an impressive record of 70-49, the best in the National League. However, the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres are hot on their heels, trailing by just 3 1/2 games. As the postseason approaches, Manager Dave Roberts and his staff face the challenging task of piecing together a viable rotation, balancing the need to preserve the health of their remaining arms with the strategic management of their innings.
With the postseason looming, the Dodgers continue to focus on maintaining their position atop the National League standings. However, this recent blow to their rotation represents a significant challenge to their ambitions. As the team navigates this tumultuous period, the stakes for preserving the health of their roster and managing their remaining pitching resources have rarely been higher.
As noted by Baseball America, Ryan "has the stuff to be a mid-rotation starter." Unfortunately, his potential impact on this season—and possibly the next—remains unrealized due to this significant injury. As the Dodgers continue to forge ahead, the resilience and depth of their roster will be tested like never before.
The coming weeks will be critical for the Dodgers as they look to solidify their rotation and sustain their position atop the standings amidst an increasingly competitive environment. The health and performance of their remaining pitchers will undoubtedly be the pivotal factor in their pursuit of postseason success.