Managers and players excited about Ryu’s return…”We’re all excited that he’s back”

The Toronto Blue Jays’ Korean “monster” Ryu Hyun-jin, 36, will return to the major league mound for the first time in 14 months on Aug. 2, and his manager and teammates have high hopes.
Hyun-jin Ryu, who is set to make his comeback against the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East, threw one final bullpen session on Aug. 30 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada. Manager John Schneider, pitching coach Pete Walker, and starters Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt watched as Ryu threw to catcher Danny Jansen.

What was the evaluation.

According to The Athletic on Aug. 31, the four “special spectators” gave Ryu a thumbs-up for his pitching.

“It was really good,” Schneider said, adding, “He’s getting used to using the PitchCom feature (used by pitchers and catchers to sign autographs). His positioning was spot-on, as always. He was ready. He looked really good.”

Ryu spent more than a year rehabbing after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his left elbow last June. With four minor league appearances under his belt, Hyun-jin Ryu will make his first major league start since June 2 last year.

He came back when his team needed him. Chasing the American League (AL) Wild Card for the postseason, Toronto is currently in the midst of a very tough schedule, playing 17 games in 17 days. With Ryu’s presence, the six-man rotation will give the starting pitchers an extra day of rest, giving them some breathing room.

Schneider said the starters are excited to have Ryu and understand that it will help everyone.

The matchup for his return isn’t bad either. The Baltimore lineup features a lot of left-handed hitters and switch-hitters. This is where left-handed starter Ryu Hyun-jin could have an advantage.

“Ryu is Ryu is Ryu,” said starting pitcher Alec Manoa, who is known to follow Ryu closely. “He’s looking very good, mixing up all his pitches, and they all felt good. The most important thing is that he’s in really good shape, so we’re very excited about his return.”

Meanwhile, Baltimore has shed its “last place” label this season and is leading the AL East, a division that includes the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Tampa Bay Rays. As of today, they are 64-41 with a .610 winning percentage, good for first place in the AL. 메이저사이트

Ryu, who has worn a Toronto uniform since 2020, had a strong 2021 season, going 4-1 in six starts against Baltimore. He didn’t face them in 2022, when he pitched just six games due to injury.

This season, however, the Orioles have a much different roster than the one Ryu faced. There are a lot of young, new faces.

The conventional wisdom is that when pitchers and hitters are unfamiliar with each other, the pitcher has a relative advantage. It remains to be seen if Ryu can continue his dominance in Baltimore.