Ryu Hyun-jin, who is in good health, starts the fateful start against the Cubs on the 14th… A cruel bromance story is born

Ryu Hyun-jin (36, Toronto), who underwent elbow ligament reconstruction surgery (Tommy John surgery) in June of last year, was initially concerned that his career in Toronto could end as it is. In fact, Ryu Hyun-jin’s contract period was until 2023, and the maximum rehabilitation period for Tommy John surgery was 1 year and 6 months.메이저놀이터

Even Ryu Hyun-jin had already undergone Tommy John surgery in high school, and had shoulder surgery in 2015. Here, he was an early veteran in his mid-30s. There were many negative views that his rehabilitation period would take longer than other players because of his medical history and age. However, Ryu Hyun-jin, who overcame this with an indomitable will, kept the return schedule he proposed with almost no error. And he returned to Toronto when he needed it most.

Toronto, which is in a close race in the American League wild card race this year, entered a hellish schedule from the game against the Los Angeles Angels on July 29th. From this game to the Chicago Cubs on August 14, 17 consecutive games were waiting. Failure to adhere to this schedule could end the season. It was necessary to manage the physical strength of the players, and it was even more so for the starting pitchers who ran constantly.

The Toronto bench created a temporary ‘six-man rotation’ by utilizing Hyun-jin Ryu in this 17-game schedule. Existing starting pitchers were able to take an extra day of rest. The response was good. Kevin Gausman, who is active as the team’s ace this year, welcomed the extra break, saying, “(Ryu Hyun-jin) has yet to return at the right time.”

In this way, Ryu Hyun-jin had an impressive return to the major leagues (5 innings, 4 runs) against Baltimore on the 2nd, and raised expectations by pitching better against Cleveland on the 8th. He didn’t get a single hit in 4 innings. Although he was hit in the right knee by a strong batted ball after two outs in the fourth inning and suffered an early rip of bad luck, the pitching content was positive. Director John Schneider did not spare praise, and at the same time, Ryu Hyun-jin himself expressed satisfaction with several parts such as the changeup.

It has been confirmed that Ryu Hyun-jin has no major problems with his knee, and he will start in a home game against the Cubs on the 14th. It is a scheduled rotation. There were no problems in the preemptive and preventive X-ray examination. If it is judged that there is no problem with pitching in the bullpen pitching on the 12th, it is expected that the mound will be confirmed on the 14th. In an interview with the local media, coach Schneider implied that there would be no major problems, saying, “The swelling has gone down a lot.”

For Ryu Hyun-jin, this match is very important. Looking at Toronto’s schedule, it’s likely that they’ll return to their original five-man starting rotation after this game. Toronto ends its 17-game streak with games on the 14th, and there are rest days on the 15th, 17th, and 22nd. You only need to play 5 games in 8 days. A six-man rotation can be a roster waste. In the first place, the 6-man rotation was a stopgap measure.

It seems clear that the coaching staff, the team, and Ryu Hyun-jin see him as a player who is more suited to being a ‘starter’ rather than a ‘bullpen’. However, Ryu Hyun-jin needs some reason to solidify his rotation. It is difficult to treat a player who shows poor skills on the mound with the same respect. In other words, you have to show good pitching in this game. Only then can he solidify his rotation retention. This is why Ryu Hyun-jin’s appearance on this day is attracting attention.

Toronto’s starting rotation was in the order of Kevin Gaussman, Jose Berrios, Chris Bassett, Yusei Kikuchi, and Alec Manoa. As long as Ryu Hyun-jin is back, someone has to be left out. As of now, the player most likely to be the main character of the misfortune is Ryu Hyun-jin’s best friend and ‘bromance’ party Alec Manoa.

Manoa is a player who has been following Ryu Hyun-jin since his debut and earned the nickname ‘Ryu Hyun-jin’. Ryu Hyun-jin, who didn’t like this potential rookie’s intimacy, invited her to her house to share a meal and talk, and developed her friendship. There is a possibility of a tragic ‘bromance scenario’ in which Ryu Hyun-jin’s return pushes Manoa away, but it is also unavoidable in the business world.

Manoa, who is chosen as the future of the Toronto starting lineup, threw 196⅔ innings in 31 games last year, his second year in the major leagues, and recorded an average ERA of 2.24 with 16 wins and 7 losses. He immediately finished third in American League Cy Young voting and 17th in MVP voting. He’s not a very fast player, but he has risen from victory to victory based on his imposing physique, his fastball, and his ability to throw both his slider and changeup well.

But his year has completely lost his form last year. He is sluggish with a 5.87 earned run average of 3 wins and 9 losses in 18 games this season. With his pitching balance broken, he is allowing over six walks per nine innings, and his velocity is down from last year. Command hunting continues, with the ball flying or being driven into the middle.

He even went to the rookie facility during the season to adjust the balance, but even after returning, the jagged pitching continues. In the game against Cleveland on the 10th, he went down the mound with 4 hits, 3 walks and 4 runs in 4 innings, with ups and downs every inning. It is clear that he is a player who will lead the team in the future, but at least at this point, the bench does not trust Manoa.

Gaussman (3.04 ERA), Berrios (3.38), Kikuchi (3.53), and Bassett (3.87) are all recording average ERAs in the 3-point range. And it is a relatively stable trend even recently. Manoah has no better than these. In the end, Ryu Hyun-jin’s good pitch against the Cubs on the 14th could put a wedge in Manoa’s elimination from the rotation. Cruel, but unavoidable.