The commentators on Sportsnet, the Canadian sports network and host broadcaster in Toronto, have been singing the praises of Ryu Hyun-jin (36, Toronto) lately. And for good reason. After undergoing elbow surgery, it was unclear whether he would return to the field at all, but he has since exceeded expectations.
Since his return on Aug. 2, Ryu has started seven games and pitched 34 innings in 11 days, posting a 3-2 record with a 2.65 ERA. He has a .219 batting average and a 1.06 walks allowed per inning (WHIP). His average batted ball velocity is 86 mph, which is right in line with what we remember from his prime in 2019. His knife-edge fastball is still there.
His innings have been somewhat lacking, but that has more to do with circumstance. On August 8 against Cleveland (4 innings), he was hit by a pitch and left early. Given his 52-pitch count, he could have gone another inning or two. Against Cleveland on August 27, he only threw 70 pitches in five innings. Against Colorado on August 2, he threw 76 pitches in five innings to prepare for his start after four days of rest. All in all, a tendency to not overdo it.
The Toronto broadcasters are also praising him. “He’s been very good in his first six games since coming back from Tommy John surgery,” Sportsnet play-by-play man Joe Sidle said of Ryu. He’s gone five innings in all of them, with the exception of that one game (Aug. 8 against Cleveland) where he was hit by a comebacker (a hard hit ball that came back to the pitcher),” praising Ryu for his consistency.
Sidle cited his ability to induce ground balls as a driving force. “His velocity is down, but he’s inducing ground balls well. His changeup is working well for hitters.” In reality, Ryu’s velocity hasn’t even regained the level it was at in 2021, just before his elbow surgery, but he’s been pitching flawlessly, using a variety of pitches and velocity differentials to keep his ERA in the low 2s.
“He’s had a tremendous, spectacular last five games,” Sportsnet panelist Jamie Campbell said on the pregame show before the Oakland game on Sunday. He throws a very slow curveball, and it’s been location, location, location,” and “absolutely fantastic. Last year’s Cy Young candidate, Alec Manoa, is out of the picture, but Ryu has stepped in and rescued a Toronto rotation in crisis.”
Sportsnet panelist and columnist Sai Davidi said, “Ryu has been the best-case scenario so far. He’s doing better than I thought he would. He’s tremendously sharp,” and praised Ryu’s stuff, saying, “He’s been the key to Toronto being able to maintain their starting rotation despite Manoa’s departure,” emphasizing that the timing of Ryu’s return has been a boost for the entire team.
When you look at the actual numbers, it’s easy to see what an incredible comeback season Ryu is having. A lot of players say that their arm doesn’t feel like their arm for two years after elbow surgery. The sensation is not perfect because of the long period of absence. Ryu is probably no different. His velocity hasn’t come up yet, and there are some areas where he has less feel, such as his cutter. Still, he’s maintained a strong command of his pitches.
If you look at the American League ERA since August, Ryu is in a position to make a run at the top 10. His 2.65 ERA ranks 12th among all major league pitchers with at least 32 innings pitched in that span. This group of pitchers includes Ryu, who just finished rehabbing from elbow surgery.카지노
In the American League, only Cole Ragance (Kansas City), Dean Kremer (Baltimore), Pablo Lopez (Minnesota), Sonny Gray (Minnesota), Kyle Bradish (Baltimore), and Paul Blackburn (Oakland) are above him. In other words, Toronto has the best ERA on the team since August. Second on the Toronto team is Chris Bassett (2.65), who has been consistently good in the second half, and third is Yusei Kikuchi (2.97). These are great numbers, but they’re not as good as Ryu’s.
The real test for Ryu will come now. He’s faced a lot of weak hitting teams, but now he’ll be facing the big boys. Hyun-jin Ryu will start against Texas at home in Rogers Centre on the 13th. He’ll be facing three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, which makes for an interesting matchup. Texas boasts a potent offense led by Corey Seager and Marcus Semien. It will be interesting to see if Hyun-jin Ryu’s seasoned pitching can hold up against the big guns.