Jul 25, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Treinen (49) outfielder James Outman (33) pitcher Gavin Stone (35) pitcher River Ryan (70) pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) catcher Will Smith (16) and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrate the victory against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Promising Young Dodgers Pitcher Aiming to Make Miraculous Return This Season

Originally posted on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI
By Gabe Smallson | Last updated Feb 25, 2025 1:00 PM ET

The Los Angeles Dodgers were plagued by pitching injuries last season.

Despite the constant news of various arms going down in 2024 L.A. pushed through and proved their resiliency in October, winning the franchise's eighth World Series championship.

With the influx of talent this offseason, especially from the pitching point of view, it is easy to forget about existing pieces that showed promise last season.

One of the biggest what-ifs of 2024 was River Ryan. Ryan made his MLB debut in July and was only able to make four appearances before a UCL injury that required Tommy John surgery in August.

In his four appearances, Ryan had an ERA of 1.33 across 20.1 innings. Ryan only allowed three runs with 18 strikeouts and nine walks, and seemed destined to be the next big thing in the L.A. rotation.

Many in the baseball world foresee him sitting the 2025 campaign out due to Tommy John recovery, but the Charlotte, NC native made a promising statement during spring training.

Ryan shared a major goal for his return with Dodgers Nation's Doug McKain and the next steps in his recovery process.

"I mean, hopefully, I'm looking to be back by September," Ryan said to McKain. "That would be fantastic, but like I said earlier, I'm not gonna rush anything. If I'm not feeling it, elbow-wise, I'm definitely not going to try and push through that. I got a lot of time left."

The Dodgers are hopeful Ryan can return as soon as he can, but the young right-hander looks to be correct in his assessment that he will be here for a long time after his recovery. If he does get back in time for the postseason, it will be a significant boost to the organization during crunch time.

The kind of pitching room that Ryan will be recovering in upon his return to the mound is full of Cy Young award-winners, All-Stars, and even an MVP. This is the best kind of company to have around as he eyes MLB play once again, whenever that may be.

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This article first appeared on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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