Dodgers option River Ryan, starting rotation becoming clearer
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 16: River Ryan #77 of the Los Angeles Dodgers smiles on the field prior to a Spring Training game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Camelback Ranch on March 16, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Dodgers continued sorting out their roster on Wednesday, sending both pitcher River Ryan and utility man Ryan Fitzgerald to minor league camp. Ryan, who is on the 40-man, was optioned, while non-roster invitee Fitzgerald was reassigned to the minors.
Earlier Wednesday, the Dodgers also optioned pitcher Kyle Hurt and selected infielder Santiago Espinal to the roster . Ryan has been quite impressive this spring, returning after Tommy John surgery and missing all of last season . In his four appearances and 9 2/3 innings, Ryan had a 1.
86 ERA with four walks and 12 strikeouts, fanning a third of his batters faced. But the Dodgers are taking the conservative route with his return, as we’ve seen in past years with Walker Buehler, Tony Gonsolin, and others in returning from surgery. After Hurt and Ryan were optioned, only 16 healthy non-Ohtani pitchers remain in camp, which means only three more cuts to go to finalize the pitching side of the opening day roster.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is starting opening day . Tyler Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani, and Roki Sasaki are rotation locks, the latter reiterated by manager Dave Roberts on Wednesday morning despite Sasaki struggling all spring . Emmet Sheehan and Justin Wrobleski are still vying for rotation spots.
Both could claim them should the Dodger use a six-man rotation out of the gate, but also one of them could make the team as a reliever, too. The Dodgers have four off days in the first 22 days of the regular season, including three Thursday off days in a row before a more taxing schedule kicks in. Edwin Díaz, Tanner Scott, Alex Vesia, Blake Treinen, and Jack Dreyer are roster locks.