Dodgers News: Ryan Pepiot Completes Fourth Rehab Start, Closing in on Return
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Ryan Pepiot is continuing to make progress as the young pitcher completed his fourth rehab start on Tuesday. This news comes at a good time as pitching arms, specifically starting pitching, are a very big need for the Dodgers team as they look to establish solid arms gearing up for the postseason.
Communications Director for the OKC Dodgers, Alex Freedman, reported Pepiot's promising rehab start on Tuesday.
In 2022, the young prospect showed promise in his limited starts and innings. He pitched 36.1 innings, starting 7 games, and ending with a 3-0 record and a respectable 3.47 ERA. The biggest criticism of him was his lack of control on getting putaway pitches in the zone, allowing for 27 walked batters in those 36.1 innings.
The 25-year-old pitcher earned his spot as the Dodgers' fifth arm in the starting rotation this season. Looking very promising during Spring Training, Pepiot was using his famous changeup and using it well.
Days after his role was announced, the young hurler suffered an oblique injury that landed him on the IL and the pitcher hasn't thrown a regular season Major League pitch in 2023 yet.
Slow healing stunted his recovery path and has kept him out longer than the All-Star break, while the team's hope was for him to return at some point in May. Well, it is now August, and fans and management are finally seeing the finish line, as he was activated off the 60-day injured list on Tuesday, per Noah Camras of DodgersNation.com
What Does This Mean for the Dodgers Moving Forward?
Hopefully, a return sooner rather than later for Pepiot will provide time for him to get a couple months with the ballclub facing Major League hitters before the postseason starts. Arms are needed for this ballclub right now and one just might be on the way.
