Longing for Ryu Hyun-jin (36, Toronto Blue Jays) is growing.
On the 7th (Korean time), Toronto won 5-4 in two double-header games against the Chicago White Sox of the ‘2023 Major League Baseball’ held at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The team finished the day in a good mood by winning both games following the first game of the doubleheader (6-2 win).
Jose Berrios, who started in one game, drew attention by recording 7 innings, 1 hit, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts and no runs. He showed a stable pitch and did his part as a starter. However, the two games were different. Starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi was shaken.카지노
Kikuchi passed the bottom of the first inning with a three-way offense, and in the bottom of the second inning, after two outs, two batters were hit in a row and faced a crisis with two outs on first and second base, but passed the crisis without conceding a run.
The uneasy flow immediately led to conceding. In the bottom of the 3rd inning, when the team was leading 1-0, Tim Anderson hit a timely 1 RBI hit with one out and 3rd base, and the score was tied 1-1. In the ensuing 2 out 1 base, Elroy Jimenez hit a 2 run home run to take the lead to 1-3.
Kikuchi was assisted in scoring by teammates Matt Chapman and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., but conceded an extra run. In the bottom of the 5th inning, with no outs and 1st and 3rd bases, Anderson’s double hit allowed the runner on 3rd to score, making the score 3-4. Later, before the bottom of the sixth inning, he was replaced with reliever Jay Jackson and finished pitching that day. The final score is 5 innings, 8 hits (1 home run), 4 walks, 4 strikeouts and 4 runs.
On this day, Kikuchi’s pitching was important. The team had to throw long innings and save the bullpen pitchers because the team played 11 extra innings from the first game of the double header, and the core bullpen was consumed a lot. However, Kikuchi was unable to complete the mission. He had to come down the mound after 5 innings, failing to block the opponent’s batting line. The situation was not good enough for Toronto to put Jackson, who has appeared in all four games this year, in a close game.
Kikuchi has been extremely shaken lately. He has a 8.68 earned run average this month, giving up 9 runs in 2 games and 9⅓ innings. He seemed to be stabilizing with an ERA of 2.28 by giving up 7 runs in 27⅔ innings last month, but he is not giving strength to the starting lineup with his ups and downs.
Toronto is currently worried about the only left-handed starting pitcher in the team, Kikuchi, but the fortunate thing is that Ryu Hyun-jin will return at the end of this month. Ryu Hyun-jin faced 13 batters on the field in 398 days on the 5th, recording 3 innings, 4 hits, 4 hits, 5 strikeouts and 1 run. He threw 42 balls, and the highest speed is 88 miles per hour (about 141.6 km), and he is gradually improving his body condition.
Toronto plans to build a starting rotation of Kevin Gaussman, Jose Berrios, Chris Bassett, Yusei Kikuchi and Alec Manoa, who will return from the minors. The problem is that all but Kikuchi are right-handed pitchers. Left-handed pitcher Kikuchi needs to get on track for the sake of diversity in the starting lineup, but he has no choice but to fall into trouble because he can’t show consistent pitching.
Local media are also announcing the results of Ryu Hyun-jin’s rehabilitation, expressing expectations that the return of the Korean Monster will have a positive impact on the team. The ‘Toronto Sun’ recently said, “Ryu Hyun-jin effectively threw 3 innings in his rehabilitation appearance. If he continues his current path, he can return to the big leagues at the end of this month. It will be a great help to the Toronto mound.”
Ryu Hyun-jin, who is slowly improving his physical condition, can return to the mound in the big leagues and provide diversity to the starting lineup as a left-handed pitcher.