Ryu Hyun-jin (Toronto Blue Jays) suffered an unexpected accident while throwing a perfect pitch for his first victory, and went down the mound after 4 innings. He complained of excruciating pain, was helped, and returned to the dugout.
Ryu Hyun-jin started the 2023 Major League Cleveland Guardians away match held at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio, USA on the 8th (hereinafter Korean time) and recorded 52 pitches, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts and no runs in 4 innings.
Ryu Hyun-jin, who underwent Tommy John surgery last year and returned to the mound after more than a year of rehabilitation. He pitched in 4 games in the minor leagues, pitched 18 innings, went 2-0 with an ERA of 2.00, and raised expectations for his comeback. However, in his comeback against the Baltimore Orioles on the last two days, he was a bit disappointed with 9 hits (1 home run), 1 walk, 3 strikeouts and 4 runs (4 earned) in 5 innings.메이저놀이터
If the opponent before the comeback was Baltimore, a ‘strong team’ ranked first in the American League East Division, the opponent for the second mound was relatively easy Cleveland. His career head-to-head performance was also very good with 2 wins and an average ERA of 2.84 in 3 games, and he succeeded in continuing that trend in today’s game.
Ryu Hyun-jin’s beginning was ‘perfect’. Ryu Hyun-jin, who caught the lead hitter only once in the first pitch until the 6th inning, got off a good start by returning lead hitter Kwan with a ground ball to 1st baseman in 2 pitches. Afterwards, Jimenez was initially allowed an infield hit to the shortstop, but after a video review, the decision was overturned as an out, and Ramirez’s pitching strike was also connected to an out count based on calm defense, recording a clean three-way exit. First three-way withdrawal since returning to the big leagues.
In the first inning, he did not use the ‘main weapon’ changeup, but from the second inning, he changed his pitching little by little, and showed ‘iron wall’ that blocked the center batting line leading to Gonzalez-Calhoun-Arias. In particular, Arias struck out with three changeups in 1B-0S. And in the 3rd inning, he mixed four seams, curveballs, changeups, and cutters to perfectly cook Cleveland’s batting line, showing ‘perfect’ pitching.
In the 4th inning, bad news overlapped, such as the referee’s unreasonable decision and the ankle being hit by a bullet-like ball at 97.7 miles (about 157.2 km), but the inning was concluded without a run. Ryu Hyun-jin started the inning without any fuss by turning the lead hitter, Kwan, on a second baseman ground ball. However, in the match with Jimenez, the follow-up hitter, a series of disappointing decisions came out.
The first ball thrown to Andres was 88.2 miles (about 142 km), and he threw a four-seamer that spanned the low side of the strike zone, and this ball was judged as a ball. As a result of watching ‘MLB.com’ Game Day, it was a ball that went into the strike zone. And once again, an inconclusive decision was made. Ryu Hyun-jin put a four-seam on the 5th pitch in 2B-2S on a course similar to the first pitch, and was again judged to be a ball. Even though it was a more perfect strike than the first pitch, when the referee gave the ball decision, Ryu Hyun-jin tilted his head and expressed regret, and eventually gave Jimenez a walk.
However, Ryu Hyun-jin was not shaken. Ryu Hyun-jin sighed by turning the follow-up hitter, Ramirez, into a right-field floating ball, and turned the follow-up hitter, Gonzalez, into a pitcher’s ground ball, ending the inning without a run. But here a shocking scene occurred. Gonzales’ 97.7 mile (approximately 157.2 km) ball hit the inside of Ryu Hyun-jin’s right knee. Ryu Hyun-jin showed ‘tenacity’ to catch runners to the end despite great pain, but after the defense was over, he collapsed on the ground and complained of excruciating pain.
In the end, Ryu Hyun-jin could not stand up on his own, and returned to the dugout with the support of his trainer and colleagues. And Ryu Hyun-jin couldn’t get on the mound from the 5th inning, and passed it to Jay Jackson.