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| Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin delivers to the New York Yankees during the first inning of a baseball game in New York, Sept. 6. AP-Yonhap |
Toronto Blue Jays' starter Ryu Hyun-jin will make his next start after regular rest this Saturday (local time) after all.
The Blue Jays, currently in Baltimore for a four-game series against the Orioles, announced Friday that the South Korean left-hander will start the second game of a doubleheader in Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, Saturday.
Ryu's last start came Monday at Yankee Stadium, where he pitched six scoreless innings against the New York Yankees for his 13th win of the season.
Ryu only threw 80 pitches in that game ― and felt tightness in his left forearm ― relying heavily on a hard slider, a pitch that he hadn't thrown much in the past.
Both Ryu and his manager Charlie Montoyo said afterward there was no reason to be concerned about the pitcher's condition and that he wouldn't miss any time.
There was some confusion as to when exactly Ryu would pitch next, though. Before beating the Yankees 6-4 Thursday, the Blue Jays listed Ryu as a probable starter for Game 2 of the Orioles doubleheader. But hours after that victory, the team's website had Ryu in line to start Sunday's game, which would have given him five days' rest.
But by Friday, before the series opener versus the Orioles, Ryu was back on for Saturday's game.
The first game of the doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 4:35 p.m. in Baltimore (5:35 a.m. Sunday in Seoul).
Ryu is 6-3 with a 2.61 ERA in 10 starts pitching on five days' rest, compared to a 4-3 record and a 4.78 ERA in 11 starts on four days' rest. He has been 3-2 with a 4.11 ERA in six starts this year when his rest went for six days or longer.
Ryu is 13-8 with a 3.77 ERA for the season, and second in the American League (AL) in wins, one behind Gerrit Cole of the Yankees. With one more win, Ryu will also match his career high for a season.
He notched 14 wins in 2013, 2014 and 2019, all as a member of the Los Angeles dodgers.
Riding a season-high eight-game winning streak, the Blue Jays, at 77-62, entered Friday's game sitting a half game behind the Yankees for the second AL Wild Card. (Yonhap)
