When it comes to the Dodgers' pitching landscape, there's a lot of excitement—and perhaps a bit of tension—surrounding potential trades that could stir up emotions among MLB fans. The roster battle for spring training will include a number of promising pitchers such as Emmet Sheehan, Gavin Stone, River Ryan, Edgardo Henriquez, Justin Wrobleski, Ben Casparius, and Kyle Hurt.
As the Dodgers prepare for the upcoming season, it's still uncertain whether they will implement a six-man rotation. However, there are indications that this could be the direction they choose to take. If so, Emmet Sheehan appears to be a strong contender for one of those spots, especially considering he made 15 appearances (12 of which were starts) last season with commendable results. On the other hand, Gavin Stone was a reliable pitcher for Los Angeles in 2024, maintaining a consistent presence on the mound without missing a single start before facing shoulder issues that ultimately led to surgery in September.
Among these pitchers, River Ryan stands out as particularly fascinating. He began the 2024 season with remarkable performance, boasting a 1.33 ERA over four starts, but his promising campaign was cut short by injury, resulting in Tommy John surgery in August.
Currently, the Dodgers seem content to hold onto these once-prominent or currently rising prospects. However, reality dictates that they will eventually need to make some difficult decisions about who to trade. Keith Law from The Athletic has suggested that if Ryan were fully healthy, he "could be the top pitching prospect in baseball." This statement raises intriguing possibilities, especially regarding potential trades involving players like Joe Ryan from the Twins or Tarik Skubal from the Tigers.
Despite not having pitched at all in 2025, Ryan managed to remain within the top ten of the Dodgers' prospect pipeline throughout the year, holding the ninth position. Although his sample size of 20 and 1/3 innings is rather limited, his fastball, which carries an impressive 65/80 rating according to MLB Pipeline, has demonstrated significant potential.
During his brief time in the majors, Ryan appeared to excel more as a ground ball pitcher rather than a strikeout artist. Yet, his stellar 10.5 SO/9 rate in Triple-A indicates that he possesses the ability to create swing-and-miss opportunities, thanks in part to his slider and curveball that feature considerable movement—skills he just needs to refine at the major league level.
If the Dodgers are hesitant to part ways with Tyler Glasnow in a deal for either Joe Ryan or Skubal, they have a treasure trove of emerging talent with several years of team control that they can present to teams looking to sell.
Acquiring either Ryan or Skubal would likely require significantly more than just Ryan, especially in the case of Skubal. However, should Ryan prove effective in long relief appearances out of the Dodgers' bullpen, he could serve as a valuable starting point in negotiations.
