For a pitcher making just his fourth start in the big leagues, it could hardly have been a more eventful evening for the Los Angeles Dodgers' River Ryan.
The Dodgers' game on Saturday night was billed as the second marquee showdown between global superstar Shohei Ohtani and Pittsburgh Pirates rookie ace Paul Skenes. But it was the other rookie starting pitcher who shined on the bump at Dodger Stadium.
Ryan threw 4.2 innings of shutout ball against the Pirates, coming within one out of securing his second big-league win. He struck out four, walked none, and lowered his career ERA to a stingy 1.33. His exit, though, was an unfortunate twist of fate.
Ryan was removed from the game by manager Dave Roberts after experiencing forearm tightness, for which he is still being evaluated at the time of this publication. He was placed on the 15-day injured list late Saturday night.
It is not yet known how long Ryan will have to wait to make his return. However, he wasted no time in identifying a possible culprit for his injury.
"The pitch clock definitely makes you speed up," Ryan said postgame. "Throwing back-to-back pitches in 15 seconds, it starts to take a toll."
The pitch clock has been a topic of conversation all season, as star pitchers across the league have gone down at alarming rates. As pitching velocity has increased, many have speculated that shortening the time between pitches could be a contributing factor to the rash of injuries.
After a 2023 season that saw shortened game times and increased fan interest, the pitch clock was largely seen as a huge success. But pitchers like Ryan have begun pointing out the potential drawbacks, which means there could be further debate down the road.
Meanwhile, Ryan himself will have to shift his focus to rehabbing after a high point in his young career. On a day he should have been celebrating outdueling the hottest pitching star in the sport, the 26-year-old is just hoping he can get healthy and continue to contribute.
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