Major League Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin (36), who left the mound for nearly a year due to elbow surgery, is preparing to return in earnest. He plans to reenter the big leagues in July after raising his senses by dealing with batters next month. It is not an exaggeration to say that the life of the oldest Korean major league pitcher was at stake in the next two months.
Canadian local media 메이저사이트such as Sportsnet reported on the 16th (Korean time) that Toronto general manager Ross Atkins met with reporters and shared the rehabilitation situation of Ryu Hyun-jin and Chad Green. Ryu Hyun-jin and Green underwent Tommy John surgery for an elbow injury side by side in June of last year, and have been striving for recovery ever since. Recently, he spent time at a spring camp facility in Toronto, Florida, where he pitched in the bullpen.
General manager Atkins said, “It was very encouraging to see the two pitching,” and “I expect to be put into the game next month and be able to face the batter.” In addition, he emphasized that although this schedule has not been confirmed, “it is definitely improving.”
Even if Ryu Hyun-jin pitches next month as planned, he will not immediately return to the major leagues. If things go smoothly, the general consensus is that after a month of hardening in the minor leagues, he will be called up to the big leagues after mid-July.
But there are variables. I don’t know what effect Tommy John surgery, which was the second in my life after high school, will affect my restraint and delivery. According to Baseball Servant, a baseball statistics site, Ryu Hyun-jin’s average fastball speed, which had been formed at 90 miles per hour (144.8 km) or more until 2019, has fallen below that since 2020. His surgery may have helped restore restraint, but it is difficult to rule out the possibility that the opposite is also true.
Ryu Hyun-jin, who is famous for his sensitive ‘fingertips’, but it is unknown how the one-year hiatus he suddenly faced at the age of looking into his late 30s will work on the mound. He needs to raise his sense of the game as much as possible over the next two months.
This season is extremely important to Ryu Hyun-jin, who is in the final year of his contract with Toronto. Except for 2020, the first year of his transfer, 2021-2022 fell short of expectations as he averaged only 4 points and 5 points, respectively. If he does not leave an impressive appearance in the second half of this season, his chances of renewing his contract or remaining in the big leagues are realistically low.
If even Ryu Hyun-jin leaves the US stage, it will be difficult to find Korean pitchers active in the major leagues for a while. Previously, domestic top-class pitchers such as Kim Gwang-hyun and Yang Hyeon-jong knocked on the big league door, but there was no case of great success for a long period of time like Ryu Hyun-jin. Kiwoom Heroes’ Ahn Woo-jin, among the current professional baseball young guns, is evaluated as having a high chance of advancing to the major leagues, but it is still a distant future.Major leaguer Ryu Hyun-jin (36, Toronto Blue Jays, photo), who underwent elbow ligament joint (Tommy John) surgery last June, is expected to return in July. Toronto general manager Ross Atkins said in an interview with the local media on the 16th, “Ryu Hyun-jin and bullpen pitcher Chad Green will throw the ball against batters next month in real life.” Ryu Hyun-jin and Green are rehabilitating in Dunedin, Florida, USA, where Toronto’s spring camp facility is located after elbow surgery. Ryu Hyun-jin plans to digest the live pitching schedule next week, where he throws the ball with the hitter standing in the plate after passing through catch ball and bullpen pitching. Ryu Hyun-jin’s return is expected to be mid-July, after the All-Star break, as he had hoped. Toronto pitching coach Pete Walker said, “Ryu Hyun-jin’s rehabilitation is proceeding smoothly,” and “Ryu Hyun-jin also wants to show why he came to this team.”
Ko Jin-young rises to 2nd place in women’s golf world rankings
Ko Jin-young (28, Solaire, photo) is once again set out to regain the No. 1 spot in the women’s golf world rankings. Ko Jin-young swapped her place with Lydia Ko (New Zealand) in the women’s golf weekly world rankings announced on the 16th and rose to second place. Ko Jin-young, who lost her world No. 1 spot in November last year, sat down to 5th at the end of last year. At the time, Ko Jin-young was heavily behind Nellie Koda (USA) and Lydia Ko, as well as her Min-Ji Lee (Australia) and Athayati Tikkun (Thailand). However, Jinyoung Ko, who became third by winning the HSBC World Championship last March, improved her ranking by winning the Cognitive Founders Cup in two months. At the Cognizant Founders Cup, Koda missed the cut and Lydia Ko tied for 42nd. 4th place was taken by Lilia Bu (USA) without change, and Lee Min-ji, who finished runner-up in the Cognizant Founders Cup, pushed Titikkun to 6th place and took 5th place.
Ohtani records first five on-base as a starting pitcher
Shohei Ohtani (28, Los Angeles Angels, photo), who is active in the American Major League (MLB), made up for his sluggishness on the mound with a powerful blow. On the 16th, Ohtani played as the third hitter and starting pitcher in an away game against the Baltimore Orioles held at Oriole Park in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, and led the team to a 9-5 victory. Pitcher Ohtani showed a somewhat disappointing appearance on the mound. On this day, he threw a fastball of 159.8 km per hour and digested 7 innings, but was sluggish with 4 hits, 2 walks and 5 runs, including 3 home runs. His earned run average rose from 2.74 to 3.23. However, he comforted the mound by going 4 hits in 5 at-bats, 1 home run, 3 RBIs and 1 walk. Ohtani, who hit a come-from-behind 3-run in the 4th inning, hit her ninth home run of the season and raised her season batting average to 0.303. Ohtani is the first pitcher in MLB history to reach 5 bases.