The Los Angeles Dodgers are facing another setback in their pitching rotation as rookie pitcher River Ryan undergoes medical tests after leaving Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates due to forearm tightness. Ryan had been delivering a strong performance, pitching 4 2/3 scoreless innings, but was pulled from the game after showing signs of discomfort on the mound.
“I definitely didn’t want to come out of the game; I wanted to finish,” Ryan told ESPN. “But they saw me grimace on the mound, and they’re not going to take any chances, so they decided to end it there.”
Despite the injury scare, the Dodgers managed to secure a 4-1 victory, capitalizing on a rare off night for Pirates ace Paul Skenes, who allowed a career-high four runs.
Dodgers Fight to Maintain Lead in NL West
The win brought the Dodgers to a 68-49 record, keeping them at the top of the National League West division. However, their lead is tenuous, with the surging San Diego Padres just two and a half games behind, fueled by a record-setting hot streak.
The Dodgers are under immense pressure to reach the World Series this year, especially after their massive offseason investment of over $1 billion in stars like Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Unfortunately, Yamamoto has been sidelined for much of the season due to injury, and now Ryan’s potential absence adds further strain to the team’s pitching depth.
The Dodgers are hoping for positive news regarding Ryan’s injury, as they cannot afford to lose another key player during the final weeks of the regular season. With the Arizona Diamondbacks also close behind in the division, the Dodgers’ postseason hopes could be in jeopardy if they falter down the stretch.
Ryan, who holds a 1-0 record with an impressive 1.33 ERA this season, exited Saturday’s game in the fifth inning while facing Michael A. Taylor. After flinching and holding his arm during a pitch, the rookie was quickly removed from the game.
“Hopefully, we have some good news, and we’ll see,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told MLB.com. “Obviously, we’ve got to be careful with him.”
The Dodgers will be back in action against the Pirates on Sunday, aiming for a sweep of the struggling Pittsburgh team.
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