1 prospect who could impact Dodgers’ 2026 pitching plans

Heading into 2026, one of the biggest questions surrounding the Los Angeles Dodgers has been how they will retool their pitching staff ahead of the hunt for the elusive three-peat.

In the starting lineup, the Dodgers are more or less set, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani, and Tyler Glasnow all returning to guaranteed spots, while Emmet Sheehan, Roki Sasaki, and Justin Wrobleski should have a field day competing for the fifth spot in Dave Roberts’ rotation with the “losers” becoming quality pieces out of the bullpen.

And yet, while who will close out games for the Dodgers remains to be seen, especially after Devin Williams signed with the New York Mets, one name fans shouldn’t forget just yet is River Ryan, as, according to MLB.com’s Jon Morosi, the Dodgers have big plans for the pitcher recovering from Tommy John surgery.

“River Ryan is one name to watch in the Dodgers ’ 2026 pitching plans,” Morosi wrote. “He underwent Tommy John surgery in August 2024 and progressed so quickly that he was under consideration for a postseason roster spot in October.”

Originally drafted in the 11th round out of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, Ryan was traded to the Dodgers in 2022 for Matt Beaty and made his MLB debut in July of 2024, throwing in four games before having to undergo Tommy John surgery. With just 291 professional pitches on his resume and experience watching two World Series winners up close and personal from the bullpen, Ryan will soon have a chance to show what he can do on the mound once more, be that as a spot starter, from the bullpen, or in OKC to start out the season.

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