The Los Angeles Dodgers announced two more cuts to their major league Spring Training roster as Cactus League action winds down.
The Dodgers made the decision to send both Ryan Fitzgerald and River Ryan down to minor league camp, meaning both of them will not be on the Opening Day roster to start the season.
Of the two players, Ryan’s move is quite shocking, considering he was lights out throughout the preseason, showing impressive form.
Ryan has a 1.86 ERA through nine innings of spring work. His stuff and pitch mix look sharp, along with his command.
He is ready to start the season in the majors now, but given the factors at play, the Dodgers are taking a long-term view with the promising prospect, who is coming back from Tommy John surgery.
Why River Ryan is starting in the minor leagues
Previously, manager Dave Roberts made it clear that the organization will manage Ryan’s workload to keep him ready for the second half of the season.
“You look at the history of guys that have had those types of injuries to think he’s going to take down 30 starts is unrealistic,” Roberts said.
Ryan was in the fight for a starting rotation spot for Opening Day, along with Emmet Sheehan and Justin Wrobleski, especially after Gavin Stone suffered a shoulder setback.
They have seemingly made the decision to go with Sheehan and Wrobleski for the back end of their rotation, at least to start the year off.
Ryan Fitzgerald’s Spring Training
Fitzgerald has made 17 appearances for the Dodgers in the Cactus League. He put up a slash line of .310/.394/.483, along with four walks drawn, seven strikeouts, and seven RBIs.
The infielder had three doubles and a triple, though he did not hit a home run.
At 31, Fitzgerald made his MLB debut in 2025 with the Minnesota Twins. He played 24 games last year with 53 at-bats. He slashed .196/.302/.452 with nine hits, nine RBIs, and no home runs.
He was brought in as insurance for Tommy Edman, who had ankle surgery, and to cover in case of another injury or if Hyeseong Kim is not ready to take on a notable role.
Sadly for Fitzgerald, not only has Kim shone, but Santiago Espinal has become a breakout star and will get a spot on the 40-man roster.
