Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitchers River Ryan and Gavin Stone aren’t expected to make L.A.’s Opening Day rotation, per The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya.
“They are expecting Gavin Stone and River Ryan back from injury,” Ardaya wrote. “Stone led the team in innings during their 2024 title season. Ryan, according to The Athletic’s Keith Law, could be the top pitching prospect in baseball if he were completely healthy. Neither is projected to start the season in the rotation, not just because of workload but because the Dodgers still have six starters they like ahead of them right now.”
Even after Clayton Kershaw’s retirement, the Dodgers have six spots in their rotation filled ahead of 2026. Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki and Emmet Sheehan are all looking to start at the beginning of the season.
Sasaki and Sheehan are the two most likely to make way for Stone or Ryan, but if the duo maintain their form from the end of 2025, they’re not likely to go anywhere.
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Sheehan finished the regular season incredibly before the Dodgers relegated him to the bullpen in October. The young right-hander allowed just four earned runs through his final 32.1 innings pitched during the season, striking out 45 batters in the process.
Sasaki had a solid finish to the regular season as well, and carried his momentum into the postseason to create one of the best storylines of the year. The rookie made a move to relief after a lengthy stint on the injured list and took over the bullpen almost instantly.
He allowed just one run through 12.2 innings after coming back, and played a pivotal role during the Dodgers’ postseason charge. After his performances, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman revealed L.A. viewed him as a starter.
“So for us, we’re definitely viewing him as a starter and a really good one, and we’ll continue to work this offseason and put him in the best position to be ready in Spring Training to help us win again,” Friedman said.
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Where Should River Ryan and Gavin Stone Start the Season?
While the rotation is just about set in stone, the bullpen is wide open.
The Dodgers added some high-leverage relief in the offseason with potentially the best arm on the market, All-Star closer Edwin Díaz, but middle and long relief spots are more than open. The Dodgers raked in the bottom third of the league in reliever ERA last season, and adding one or both pitchers to the bullpen could catapult them towards the top.
Ryan and Stone last featured for the Dodgers in 2024, and both played their role during the Dodgers’ championship campaign. Ryan made four starts for the Dodgers that season, posting a 1.33 ERA through 20.1 innings. Stone led the team in innings pitched despite going down with injury, and had a 3.53 ERA through 25 starts.
With Stone and Ryan in their ranks once again, the Dodgers are already setting themselves up for success as they look to chase a three-peat in 2026.
