They rolled around in pain, but it didn’t matter. The injury was minor, and the improved pitching was even more welcome.
Ryu took the mound for the 2023 Major League Baseball team against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Aug. 8 (KST).
Two batters into the bottom of the fourth inning, with the score tied 0-0, he was hit by a 98-mph fastball, but he was able to smile. His knife-edge changeup had returned.
Ryu underwent Tommy John surgery (elbow ligament repair) in June 2022. He spent more than a year rehabbing. He returned to the field on April 2 against the Baltimore Orioles.
He took the loss in Baltimore, giving up four runs in five innings. The result was disappointing, but the fact that the Orioles are currently the best team in the American League, that Ryu is still getting his feel for the game, and that his velocity has increased with each passing pitch made me reserve judgment.
That’s why the Cleveland game was so important. Cleveland was last in the majors with a .655 OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) against lefties. If Cleveland struggled, Ryu had nowhere to hide.
Ryu was pulled after just four innings due to injury. But for those four innings, he was near perfect. He was perfect until the fourth inning. The only runner he allowed was on a single, and even then, the call was questionable. According to a graphic on Major League Baseball’s official website, Gameday, two of Ryu’s strikes were ruled balls, which cost him the game 메이저놀이터.
Luckily, Ryu’s injury wasn’t serious. Toronto announced that it was a simple bruise.
According to Sportsnet Canada’s Aden Zwelling, Ryu focused on his pitching performance rather than the injury.
Ryu said, “It left a bruise. I didn’t hurt myself following up. My command was better than my last start, especially my changeup. I was able to throw it where I wanted to throw it. I was happy with that.”
Toronto manager John Schneider even had time to crack a joke.
MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson reported that Schneider said, “Ryu’s calf has gotten really big. He’s got two right calves now,” Schneider joked.
MLB.com also reported, “Ryu showed off his trademark changeup. He’s gotten much better at avoiding hard hits,” and that his pitches were good overall.