So far, so good for Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin

Korean southpaw throws 4 scoreless innings in spring baseball

By Baek Byung-yeul

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers has delivered another solid pitching performance Tuesday, signaling the end of his long injury break.

The Korean southpaw threw four scoreless four innings as the starting pitcher against the Milwaukee Brewers at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz.

Throwing 41 pitches, the 29-year-old only allowed one hit while striking out two. He also showed off his batting skills, going 1-for-2 with one RBI. With a brilliant performance, Ryu lowered his ERA for spring baseball from 1.80 to 1.00.

Ryu has made just one start in the past two seasons for the Dodgers as he left for shoulder surgery in May, 2015. Though he returned to the mound last year, it lasted for just one start as he underwent a left elbow debridement procedure in September.

Trying to reclaim his rotation spot after a two-year hiatus, Ryu had been solid in the previous two spring outings. In his first appearance on March 11 against the Los Angeles Angels, Ryu threw two scoreless innings. In his second game against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, he tossed three innings, allowing only one run with three hits while striking out four.

In his third game of the spring, Ryu seemed to find his old self from the first inning.

In the top of the first inning, Ryu only needed 11 pitches for three outs. He also got a strikeout looking against former Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) League MVP Eric Thames to start the second inning.

After having two perfect innings, Ryu allowed his first hit of the game on a single by Scooter Gennett in the third but got Manny Pina to strikeout swinging. After Matt Garza batted out on a sacrifice bunt, Ryu induced a fly from Jonathan Villar for an out. Ryu finished his third outing after retiring three Brewers batters in the fourth inning. But his team ended up losing 5-4, as the Brewers’ offense came to life immediately after he left the game.

After the game, the Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts commented that he was very pleased with Ryu’s performance, saying “We’re a better team if he’s in our starting rotation.”

“He’s shown us a lot. If we look back a year ago from where he’s come, he’s done nothing but allow us to be very optimistic,” Roberts said. “For us, we’re looking to start and continue to have improvement and progress. Every day that has gone by, he has gotten better.”

The manager added he is also satisfied with Ryu’s pitching velocity. “If he’s right around 87 to 90-91, touching 91, with his pitchability and his mix, he’s fine right there,” Roberts said.

“I was never a guy who got outs with my velocity,” Ryu said. “If I can get up to around my 2013 season, I think I’ll be efficient and effective.”

Ryu may start his team’s Monday game and is expected to pitch five innings.