The Blue Jays have placed left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu on the 10-day injured list due to neck tightness. The placement is retroactive to September 18. Left-hander Tayler Saucedo has been called up to take Ryu’s roster spot.
Jays GM Ross Atkins told reporters (including The Athletic’s Kaitlyn McGrath) that Ryu woke up with a sore neck yesterday, a day after an abbreviated start against the Twins. The team is hoping the injury is minor enough that Ryu will miss only one start, and make a quick return to a Toronto club that is battling to return to the postseason.
While Ryu will be missed in the Blue Jays rotation, a brief reset might have been in order given the southpaw’s struggles over his last two starts. Ryu threw six scoreless innings against the Yankees on September 6 but left that game with some minor forearm soreness. Both Ryu and the team felt he was well enough to keep pitching, though Ryu has since allowed 12 earned runs over 4 1/3 innings in rough outings against the Orioles and Twins.
Ryu had a minimal 10-day IL stint due to a glute strain earlier this season, but has otherwise been pretty healthy over his two seasons in Toronto, which is no small feat for a pitcher who battled multiple injuries earlier in his career with the Dodgers. Ryu’s 159 2/3 innings pitched in 2021 is the third-highest total of his eight MLB seasons, though there has been some indication that the grind of the longer season could be getting to the 34-year-old, even prior to his forearm issue. Ryu has an 8.10 ERA over his last 36 2/3 innings, as opposed to a 3.22 ERA in his first 123 frames.
Atkins said that Ross Stripling is a candidate to take Ryu’s next turn in the rotation, which falls Wednesday against the Rays. Since Toronto doesn’t play on September 27, Ryu would line up to return for a September 28 start against the Yankees if he is able to be activated from the IL when first eligible.
In the interim, the Blue Jays will have to get by without one of their top starters, though the Jays rotation has become a quiet strength. Led by Cy Young Award candidate Robbie Ray and bolstered by the likes of Ryu, Steven Matz, trade deadline pickup Jose Berrios, and star rookie Alek Manoah, Toronto ranks eighth in baseball in starter ERA. Stripling has a 4.69 ERA over 86 1/3 IP as a starting pitcher this year, as he has continued to be plagued by hard contact and problems with allowing home runs.
Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.
This was not a surprise, especially after his performance against the Twins.
I wouldn’t call Ryu a ‘top starter’. He’s their #4 at best, sitting behind Ray, Berrios, and Manoah. And Matz has been decent lately too. When Ryu is at his absolute best, he’s good for about 85 pitches before he gets fatigued.
Matz has been decent lately is quite the understatement.
Still okay to call Ryu one of Jays top starters, atleast that was the plan and the projections, but Ryu’s command has been awful and he’s gone in and out of his former self, lately it’s mostly been way off
In Matz last 4 outings he’s pitched 22.2 innings, allowed 10 ER, 21 Hits, 22 K’s and 8 Walks. I wouldnt describe that better than decent.
Maybe you were thinking about his performance this season though? Because then I would agree that he is a tick above decent.
No SalaryCap, he’s been decent lately. Yea, i see Matz’s 5 earned runs vs Baltimore, which skews your selective endpoints. But Toronto was at bat for an hour that Sunday and its not exactly a crime to be less focused when youre gifted 16 runs before you take the mound in the 3rd inning.
His last 12 starts he has a 2.80 era, pitching 65 innings.
Guess it depends what you think recent is .
I think i misread the comment to my comment. Not the first time.
Good. He’s been off for a while now and would not be in my ALDS rotation if they get there. If he can get right in 10 days then you have the flexibility to run a guy like Manoah out of the pen and that’d be huge…
Never realized he had a neck?
Ryu is injury prone.
This injury is terribleitis
Ryu is old, he needs a rest.
Speaking as a Braves fan, we have only 1 pitcher that has started more games than Ryu & he’s 37 (Morton). All our younger pitchers have been on the IL at one time or another.
I’d say Ryu has been durable and an excellent “old” pitcher for Toronto this year.
Over his MLB career Ryu has missed well over two seasons.
Is two seasons a lot? Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe one TJS at the wrong time can knock out a pitcher for a season and a half. I wouldn’t call Ryu old but he’s certainly not young by MLB standards so he’s bound to have missed some time in his career. I’ve seen some guys who couldn’t stay healthy that make Ryu seem like an absolute work horse.
Another guy who has sucked since they clamped down of the sticky stuff on the ball
Nah, look at his 8 starts following the ban.
It’s more age, health, decline
I think is more that ruy doesn’t seem in physically good shape
When you are professional athletes please take of body an health