Tigers prospect acquired in Tarik Skubal deal now starting Wednesday
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A top Detroit Tigers prospect will try again after a false start.
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Tigers minor league pitcher River Ryan will start for Triple-A Toledo against the Iowa Cubs on Wednesday, Sept. 9, against the Iowa Cubs in Des Moines, Iowa. The game is scheduled to start at 1:08 p.m. ET and can be watched on MiLB.tv and Bally Sports Live in Toledo.
Ryan, who was acquired along with two other prospects in the deadline deal that sent lefty ace Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers, was supposed to make his organizational debut on Tuesday, Sept. 8. That game was postponed due to rain, however, pushing Ryan's start to Wednesday.
The righty appeared in eight games for Triple-A Oklahoma City this season, pitching to a 4.46 ERA over 36⅓ innings. He last pitched on June 17 and has been recovering from a hamstring strain since then.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Ryan's start will be like a limited spring training appearance, meaning Ryan is expected to pitch three innings at most.
"We're excited to get him active in the organization and build him up accordingly," Hinch said.
Ryan, who is currently the No. 4 Tigers prospect per MLB Pipeline, was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 2021 draft as an infielder. However, he has made the transition from infielder to two-way prospect to starting pitcher, and is seen by some outlets as one of the best pitching prospects in the minors.
Though there was a thought that Ryan could join the Tigers' rotation down the stretch after the Tigers traded Skubal and righty Casey Mize at the deadline, the Tigers have not provided a timeline for his return to the big leagues. Ryan made four appearances for the Dodgers in 2024, his first MLB season, and has not pitched in the majors since.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tigers prospect acquired in Tarik Skubal deal now starting Wednesday