Detroit Tigers starter River Ryan made his debut for the team Monday, just short of two months since the Los Angeles Dodgers traded him. The right-hander began the year with the Dodgers, though stayed in Triple-A out of spring training before suffering an injury. A couple of days before Aug. 3's trade deadline, the Dodgers traded him to the Tigers in exchange for Tarik Skubal in a blockbuster deal.
Ryan spent the first month and a half of his time in the Tigers' organization rehabbing from a. hamstring injury, and impressed in his first start—holding the Washington Nationals scoreless through three innings while logging three strikeouts. He had been with the Dodgers since the 2022 season, when they acquired him from the San Diego Padres, so he was familiar with changing organizations. That was pretty easy because I’ve been through it before and I had a reference." Ryan also spoke about the transition period, and didn't wait to send a subtle jab at his former team, saying the Tigers were more accommodating with his injury.
"I think it was definitely a lot more hands-on with the Detroit organization. I feel like there was a lot more care involved, which was fantastic.” Ryan made his MLB debut for the Dodgers back in 2024, pitching four times for the team before going down with an elbow injury. He posted a 1.33 ERA through 20.1 innings pitched in 2024, striking out 18 batters over the course of those outings.
His elbow required Tommy John surgery, though, so he missed the entirety of the 2025 season before making his return during spring training in 2026. Prior to his appearance against the Nationals, Ryan only made two appearances for the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens in the International League. He threw a total of 4.2 innings, allowing seven hits and striking out four batters while allowing two earned runs.
His first MLB appearance with the Tigers went much better, and he could very well play a key part for the Tigers going forward.
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