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Dodgers’ River Ryan becomes a harder-throwing pitcher after Tommy John recovery
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- Dodgers’ River Ryan becomes a harder-throwing pitcher after Tommy John recovery
Dodgers' River Ryan becomes a harder-throwing pitcher after Tommy John recovery appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher River Ryan turned his Tommy John surgery setback into a big positive by getting stronger and throwing harder.
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During his rehab, he added about 30 pounds of muscle and is now preparing for his return to MLB in 2026.
"Before I got hurt, I think I was 195 pounds and now I'm hovering around 225," Ryan told reporters at DodgerFest Saturday. "That's helped a lot. I just ate a lot of calories and I lifted like an animal. I put on 30 pounds in like five months. Then I got to 230 and I had some talks with the weight coach. I was like man, it's really hard for me to move I've never been this heavy. I've always been able to throw pretty hard, but for me right now, I'm able to throw a lot harder a lot easier. Putting on some weight has really helped me in that process."
Ryan credits his added velocity to the extra weight he gained while working on his recovery. After sitting out the 2025 season, the 27-year-old is ready to make his long-awaited return to the majors.
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The Dodgers acquired Ryan from the Padres in a 2022 trade, sending utility player Matt Beaty in return. Ryan was an 11th-round pick by the Padres and became a full-time pitcher with the Dodgers. He is considered one of the team's top pitching prospects.
Manager Dave Roberts expressed excitement about Ryan's return, saying he could play a key role as the Dodgers chase a third straight title.
"I'm excited for River," Roberts said at the Winter Meetings. "Because to see your teammates celebrate and go through what we went through and not be able to participate, those are things that we're all betting on for that extra hunger to kind of make their impact in 2026."
Ryan faces a tough path back to the Dodgers' rotation due to the team's deep pitching staff , in its best shape in years.
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Los Angeles finished last season with a six-man rotation of Yoshinobu Yamamoto , Blake Snell , Tyler Glasnow , Shohei Ohtani , Clayton Kershaw , and Emmet Sheehan . All except the retired Kershaw are expected back in 2026, and Roki Sasaki will return to the rotation after a brief relief stint.
Despite posting a 1.33 ERA in the majors, Ryan is unlikely to start in the Dodgers' Opening Day rotation. He should get chances during the season as injuries inevitably affect the staff in 2026.
Related: Why Dodgers' Dave Roberts still hasn't re-watched 2025 World Series Game 7
Related: Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani's book about his dog Decoy gets release date
