Ryu Hyun-jin (34, Toronto Blue Jays) defeated the Detroit Tigers with a perfect match and won the first demonstration game in 2021.
Although the club has not made an official announcement yet, Ryu Hyun-jin, who is a strong starter in the opening game (April 2, Korea time), has been showing off the ‘Ace’s majesty’ from the demonstration game.
Ryu Hyun-jin started a demonstration game against Detroit in the 2021 American Professional Baseball Major League held at the Lakeland Public Fields at Joker Merchant Stadium in Florida, USA on the 16th (Korean time). He struck out four, and did not allow a single shootout.
As the team won 4-0, Ryu Hyun-jin also won the first start this year.
On this day, Ryu Hyun-jin filled 4 innings with 49 balls. It was 148 km/h, the fastest fastball.
According to the Baseball Servant, Ryu Hyun-jin threw 18 fastballs, 12 cutters, 12 changeups, and 4 curves on this day. Ryu Hyun-jin boasted a perfect game using various pitches, using both top, bottom, left, and right.
It was refreshing from the start.
Ryu Hyun-jin took a strike to Victor Reyes, the first batter in the first inning, with a low speed of 143 km/h and a looking strikeout with a sharp cutter at 136 km/h on the fourth pitch.
For Jamer Candelario, the ball count was 2 balls, but after making a 2 ball-2 strike with a fast ball of 147 km/h and 148 km/h, he pulled a false swing with a dropping curve of 118 km/h.
3rd batter Robbie Grosman touched the cutter and stepped back to the right field.
Miguel Cabrera, a hitter who hit 2,866 personal hits and 487 home runs in the big league, failed to attack Hyun-jin Ryu.
Ryu Hyun-jin drove the ball count favorably with two cutters, and treated Cabrera as a foul fly at first base with a 127 km/h change-up that fell to the fourth pitch low.
Ryu Hyun-jin continued his six-batter streak with Nico Goodrum as a direct ball and right fielder flying ball and Wilson Ramos as a cutter for shortstop grounding.
The third crisis was also wisely passed.
Ryu Hyun-jin was struck by Willie Castro and Nomar Majara in a row, and was rushing to the first and second bases.
However, he sighed, turning Isaac Paredis into an ordinary right fielder with a fastball.
Ryu Hyun-jin smiled after striking out Reyes with a change-up of 128 km/h.
After the game, Ryu Hyun-jin confessed, “The ball I struck out was a missed sign and I threw it wrong.” Ryu Hyun-jin’s pitch on this day was so great that the ball thrown by mistaken the catcher’s signature could also lead to a missed swing.
Driven by momentum, Ryu Hyun-jin finished the 3rd inning without a run-off by turning even the candelario into a 126km/h changeup with a missed swing strikeout.
Ryu Hyun-jin took the first batter, Grosman, as a straight line at first base in the 4th inning. It was a good hit, but headed straight for the first baseman.
After meeting Cabrera, Ryu Hyun-jin’s change-up shook her balance and stepped back to third baseman grounder.
Cabrera and Ryu Hyun-jin in the regular season were pushed back to four personal careers, one hit and two strikeouts. In this year’s demonstration game, Ryu Hyun-jin won the decision against Cabrera.
Ryu Hyun-jin filled the scheduled 4 innings by handling the ground ball at shortstop with the good drum.
On the 6th, Ryu Hyun-jin appeared in the first demonstration game this year against the Baltimore Orioles on the 6th and gave 1 hit (1 home run) and 1 walk in 2 innings and scored 1 goal. The number of pitches was 30.
Afterwards, Ryu Hyun-jin skipped the demonstration game once, and then appeared in the Cheongbaek match on the 11th and threw 30 balls.
Ryu Hyun-jin, who took a mock test in the trial game again in 10 days, received a report card close to perfect score.
Ryu Hyun-jin lowered his average ERA in this year’s demonstration game from 4.50 to 1.50 (one run in six innings).
Toronto defeated Detroit 4-0.
At the end of the 1st inning, Toronto, who gained the lead with Jonathan Davis’ solo shooter, kept the lead amidst Ryu Hyun-jin’s good pitch and solidified his victory with Chavez Young’s triple stroke in the 9th inning.
Ryu Hyun-jin, who won his first victory in 2021, said, “I am well prepared for the regular season. This year, I will stand on the mound well prepared from the first game,” he said with a bright expression.