Hyun-Jin Ryu started on Opening Day for the Los Angeles Dodgers somewhat by process of elimination, but he turned in a dominant performance and has strung together one strong outing after another.
His season was interrupted by a strained left groin — similar to an injury that sidelined Ryu for three months in 2018 — but returned 11 days after being put on the injured list and hasn’t skipped a beat.
For as well as he’s pitched this season, Wednesday’s start against the San Francisco Giants easily was Ryu’s best in 2019 and quite some time. San Francisco took a 1-0 lead three batters in, then were held in check until Buster Posey’s walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth.
Ryu exited with the game tied and wasn’t going to factor into the decision. That the Dodgers were unable to capitalize on his stellar outing left manager Dave Roberts a bit dejected, via SportsNet LA
“Hyun-Jin was outstanding. It’s unfortunate when you don’t win a game when he pitched the way he did. He had command of everything. He really did. His entire mix was really good. He was under control and kept those guys off-balance. Certainly, it was his best outing of the year.”
Ryu retired three in a row after the Giants started the bottom of the first with a Steven Duggar single and Tyler Austin double. There was some good fortune involved as Brandon Belt’s drive went into triples alley and only resulted in a sacrifice fly.
Aided by two double plays, Ryu faced the minimum from the second through eighth innings. He again did not issue a walk and collected six strikeouts. The outing was Ryu’s longest since going eight innings as a rookie on Sept. 16, 2013.
His accepting the qualifying offer from the Dodgers over the winter was largely viewed as a win for both sides. Ryu missed all of 2015 after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder, then was limited to one start in 2016 because of elbow trouble.
That eventually led to an arthroscopic surgery on his left elbow during that season. After showing flashes of his old self over parts of the last two years, Ryu’s performance this season is putting him in strong position come a second go-around with free agency.
