Dodgers’ River Ryan Wanted To Stay In-Game Despite Forearm Injury

Los Angeles Dodgers rookie pitcher River Ryan was pulled from Saturday’s start against the Pittsburgh Pirates early after experiencing forearm tightness. Ryan began feeling the tightness in the third inning but was able to ease it between innings with the use of a massage gun. He was pulled after 4.2 innings anyway.

Despite the injury, Ryan wanted to continue playing and did not want to get pulled.

“Last two pitches, it really started to tighten up on me a little bit. I begged Doc to let me keep going, but he pulled the plug,” Ryan said, via Spectrum SportsNet.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the game that Ryan will head to the injured list and is scheduled to get an MRI on Sunday to further evaluate his injury.

Even as he heads to the IL, Ryan said he is “not very” concerned when it comes to the forearm tightness. “I feel pretty solid right now, ran me through some tests, strong. Going to go to the doctor tomorrow morning, see what happens,” Ryan said.

Ryan was in the middle of another strong start in which he was out-dueling Pirates star rookie pitcher Paul Skenes. Through 4.2 innings, Ryan allowed four hits, zero earned runs, and notched four strikeouts.

Skenes, who is a leading contender for the National League Offensive Rookie of the Year Award with a 6-2 record and 2.25 ERA, had one of his worst games as he gave up six hits and four earned runs with eight strikeouts in six innings.

Through four starts total, Ryan is 1-0 with a 1.33 ERA and 18 strikeouts. The Dodgers have won every game he has started, and Ryan has proven to be one of the most promising young pitchers on the team.

The Dodgers will now be without Ryan at least temporarily. The team will call up fellow rookie pitcher Landon Knack, who will pitch out of the bullpen.

The injury to Ryan just adds another name to the list of pitching injuries the Dodgers have gone through this season. The Dodgers have used 17 different pitchers as starters this season, most in MLB.

Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May, Emmett Sheehan, Bobby Miller, Walker Buehler, Tony Gonsolin, and Kyle Hurt have all also dealt with injuries that have placed them on the IL this season.

Photo Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

Have you subscribed to our YouTube Channel yet? Subscribe and hit that notification bell to stay up to date on all the latest Dodgers news, rumors, interviews, live streams, and more!