While there have been some bumps along the way, Hyun-Jin Ryu appears to be ont rack toward putting together a successful 2017 campaign. The mere fact that he made the Los Angeles Dodgers starting rotation on Opening Day was a significant accomplishment.
Ryu missed the entire 2015 season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder. He made just one start last season after returning from the procedure, because of elbow trouble that eventually required an arthroscopic debridement.
The 30-year-old captured his elusive first win of the season on Saturday. It was also the first victory Ryu earned since Aug. 31, 2014.
While the value of pitcher wins have largely been denounced in recent years, Ryu was proud of the feat, via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
“Today’s definitely a milestone for me,” said Ryu. “It’s been almost 1,000 days since I’ve had a ‘W,’ so it’s definitely a milestone and I’d like to build on it from this moment and always put the team in position to win.”
Ryu held the Philadelphia Phillies to just one run on three hits in 5.1 innings. He collected a season-high nine strikeouts, and currently holds a career-best 22.2 percent strikeout rate.
Overall this season, Ryu is 1-4 with a 4.05 ERA, 5.76 FIP and 1.31 WHIP. His ability to pitch well will further complicate the Dodgers’ decision making once they decide to trim back down to a normal five-man rotation.
For now, the club will remain with six starters through their weekend series against the San Diego Padres.
