SAN DIEGO — The wait for River Ryan’s return to the big leagues continues. The Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander, one of the highest-regarded pitching prospects in the sport, is going to be placed on the minor-league injured list with a hamstring issue, according to league sources who were not authorized to speak publicly about the situation.It’s unclear how serious the issue is for Ryan, who ranked as the No. 19 prospect in baseball in The Athletic’s midseason rankings. He did not make his scheduled start with Triple-A Oklahoma City this week and has returned to Arizona to rehab his second hamstring injury already in 2026.Ryan has a 4.46 ERA in eight starts this season while flashing premium stuff, including a fastball that touches triple digits and a six-pitch arsenal that got him 43 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings. This has been his first game action since 2024, when Ryan made his big-league debut and tore an ulnar collateral ligament in his fourth major-league start.
Sources to me and @katiejwoo: Dodgers pitching prospect River Ryan is going on the minor league IL with a hamstring issue. Missed time earlier in OKC’s season with hamstring trouble and had his start skipped this week.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) June 26, 2026Ryan’s immense promise has made him the subject of fan fervor, some clamoring for him to join a rotation that ranks No. 2 in baseball with a 3.25 ERA. Dodgers officials have pushed back on Ryan’s timeline, saying they need the 27-year-old converted infielder to build up a foundation to withstand a starter’s workload. While there hasn’t been a cap set on Ryan’s innings, the Dodgers undoubtedly want to make sure they don’t tax Ryan too much in his first season back from Tommy John surgery as well.
