Ryu Hyun-jin to join first team on 25th against LA
First MLB appearance in 13 months
Likely to start against the Angels on the 29th and 31st
He’s ready to make his big league comeback. The ‘Korean Monster’ Ryu Hyun-jin (36, pictured left, Toronto Blue Jays) is set to rejoin the team after completing all of his scheduled minor league rehabilitation appearances this month. Looking at Toronto’s upcoming schedule, he is likely to face Shohe온라인카지노i Ohtani (right, Los Angeles Angels), a “baseball genius” who doubles as a pitcher in his comeback.
“Ryu will join the team (first team squad) for an away game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on the 25th of this month,” MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, said on the 23rd (KST). “If his return is confirmed, Ryu will return to the major leagues for the first time in 13 months.” The club is expected to meet with Ryu in person to determine the specific timing of his return.
Ryu has been rehabbing since undergoing elbow ligament reconstruction surgery in June last year. He started pitching out of the bullpen in May, then pitched live last month, and since then, he has pitched in four minor league games to get a feel for the game.
The previous day, he pitched six innings (two runs) in a Triple-A game against the Syracuse Mets, the New York Mets’ affiliate, to prepare for his return. Ryu threw 85 pitches, the most of any rehab start. He pitched aggressively, placing 58 of his 85 pitches in the strike zone.
He upped his fastball to 90.8 mph (about 146 km/h) after touching 88 mph (141.6 km/h) earlier this month. He threw a mix of pitches, including a fastball (39), changeup (23), cutter (13) and curveball (10) to keep himself in shape. He induced seven swings and misses with his changeup.
Toronto opens a three-game series against the Dodgers from 25-27 April. From the 29th to the 14th of next month, they will play a whopping 17 games in a row. The Jays are considering a six-man rotation to keep their starters healthy. The plan is to add Ryu Hyun-jin, who is set to return to the starting rotation, to the existing five.
Ryu took the mound every five to six days in his rehabilitation appearances this month. When he finally returns, it will likely be during a three-game homestand against the Angels starting on the 29th. When he returns against the Angels, he is expected to start or go two-for-two with Ohtani.
Meanwhile, the San Diego Padres’ Ha-Sung Kim hit his 12th home run of the season with a solo shot against the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. He broke his own major league record for most home runs in a season, surpassing his 11 from last year.