On the 16th, Hyun-jin Ryu made a good match against Detroit in the demonstration game and scored 4 innings without a run. Toronto SNS
Major League Baseball (MLB) Ryu Hyun-jin (34, Toronto)’s 2021 is still progressing as usual. He vowed, “I don’t want to go through the sluggishness of the first two games of last year again.”
Ryu Hyun-jin started a demonstration game against Detroit at the Joker Merchant Stadium at Lakeland, Florida, USA on the 16th (Korean time), and made a good fight with two hits and no runs in four innings. While catching four strikeouts, he did not allow any four pitches.
On this day, Ryu Hyun-jin’s goal was 60 pitches. Having easily finished four innings with 49 balls, he threw 15 more balls from the bullpen. It is expected that he will be able to hit his goal of 100 pitches if he starts two demonstration games in the future. As planned, they are preparing for the opening of the regular season (April 2).
After the game, Ryu Hyun-jin said in an interview with a local reporter, “This year, I will stand on the mound with good preparation from the first game.” I said it with the sluggishness in mind at the beginning of last year. In 2020, the opening of the regular season was pushed to July due to the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19). In addition, Toronto, from Canada, wandered all over the United States without using its home stadium (Rogers Center).
Ryu Hyun-jin, whose routine collapsed, was sluggish in the opening game against Tampa Bay on July 25 last year (4 hits and 3 runs in 4⅔ innings) and Washington on July 31 (4⅓ innings and 9 hits and 5 runs). In the following 10 games, he repeated a good pitch and finished the season well with an average of 5-2 and an ERA of 2.69.
Still, Ryu Hyun-jin seems to be worried about the first two games last year. “Last year, the spring camp was stopped once, and after a short preparation in the summer camp, I had difficulties starting the regular season.” . He said, “I can make my body until the start of the regular season.”
As it is, it is highly likely that Ryu Hyun-jin will start the opening game of Toronto for the second year in a row following last year. However, Toronto coach Charlie Monteyo said, “There are still two weeks left until the start of the regular season. I will watch the situation.” In a situation where Toronto has no reliable starters other than Ryu Hyun-jin, coach Montyo’s remarks are unexpected. He avoided the answer, saying, “I will ask Ryu Hyun-jin tomorrow to decide on the schedule for Ryu Hyun-jin’s next start.”
Regardless of the comments of coach Monteyo, Ryu Hyun-jin is highly likely to go to the opening game. While Clayton Kershaw (LA Dodgers) and Maeda Genta (Minnesota) have already been announced as starting games, Toronto, which does not deserve an alternative other than Ryu Hyun-jin, is delaying the first selection.
Reporter Kim Shik
