Meet the Dodgers’ secret weapon: River Ryan is ready to dominate

The Los Angeles Dodgers don't need a secret weapon. A team with Shohei Ohtani and all sorts of other superstars is set as is.

But then there's River Ryan. And he might be just the boost they need to three-peat as World Series champs.

His name is eye-catching enough. His game? Potentially dominant.

ESPN's Alden Gonzalez picked Ryan as the guy on the Dodgers who needs to be paid attention to this spring.

"Dodgers camp is a treasure trove of storylines, from the arrivals of Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz to Shohei Ohtani returning to full-time two-way duties to Roki Sasaki looking to establish himself as a starting pitcher," Gonzalez writes. "Ryan easily gets lost in that shuffle. But Dodgers officials are excited to see how he looks now that he has completed a successful rehab from Tommy John surgery and added a significant amount of muscle in the process."

MORE: How Jose Ramirez is on pace to become Cleveland's Derek Jeter

The comeback from Tommy John, and that report of more muscle, could have Ryan throwing as hard and explosively as ever.

"The last time we saw Ryan, he posted a 1.33 ERA in his first four major league starts as a 25-year-old near the stretch run of the 2024 season," Gonzalez writes. "Now, he'll compete with Sasaki and Emmet Sheehan for a rotation spot. 'It's been long enough since he last pitched in a game that I think we can all forget how much of a freak this guy is,' a team source said."

MORE: Luis Arraez is MLB's perfect misfit in 2026

Ryan was originally an 11th-round pick out of UNC-Pembroke in 2021. Now 27 years old, he has just those four MLB appearances from 2024.

Don't be surprised if he plays a prominent role this season, though. Every indication is that he might just be ready.

More MLB news:

• Team USA has a finalized WBC roster and an awesome lineup
• Dominican Republic WBC roster is loaded with stars
• How Trent Grisham's decision ruined the Yankees' offseason plans
• Buster Posey will change Hall of Fame voting forever
• This Cubs replacement plan for Kyle Tucker looks smart
• Spencer Strider's finish to 2025 changes everything for Braves