With just a week until the season is set to get underway, the Los Angeles Dodgers are making their roster moves in bunches. 

After their Wednesday afternoon Cactus League game against the San Francisco Giants, they made their first roster move by selecting the contract of utility infielder Santiago Espinal. 

Following that move, they set their sights on their arms. 

The Dodgers optioned right-hander River Ryan to Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets. 

Ryan had a superb Cactus League stint. He posted an impressive 1.86 ERA in four appearances that included one start and struck out 12 batters in 9 2/3 innings. 

He was a name to keep a close eye on as he returned to pitch in a Dodgers uniform for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery in August of 2024.

The 27-year-old came into spring camp with one goal in mind: Make the starting rotation. 

But that would come with a few treks in the road. 

For one, coming off major surgery, the Dodgers were going to be very wary of Ryan's usage, especially as a starter. 

At one point in time earlier in the month, it looked as though the Dodgers were going to have their hand forced to start Ryan's return as a starter. 

Blake Snell threw his first bullpen of the spring, albeit a 15-pitch low-intensity session, on March 12. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after the session that they expect Snell to fully ramp up in six weeks. 

Still, the Dodgers have decided to pursue precautionary measures. 

Better safe than sorry, they say. 

Ryan's option should not trigger a negative response. This move purely shows that the Dodgers want Ryan to acclimate himself before he can make an impact for the big league club. 

So with the Dodgers' move to option Ryan, they have pretty much solidified their starting rotation to begin their 2026 campaign. 

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan, and Justin Wrobleski round out the Dodgers starters. 

Along with the move, the Dodgers' roster currently sits at 40. They need to cut 13 more players before camp ends to be able to establish a final Opening Day roster. 

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