I was caught in an injury trap last season and couldn’t stand on the big league mound for a long time. He went through the rehabilitation process step by step and aimed for resurrection. However, following the recovery period after surgery, it took a lot of time to raise the sense of the game. He naturally had a dark outlook.
As this season opened and Ryu Hyun-jin 바카라 began his rehabilitation, expectations for his return increased. Meanwhile, the prospect of returning to the Hanwha Eagles also raised its head. The age of being in his mid-30s, the cold judgment that it is difficult to find the same pitch as before, and the expectation that the sense of the game is declining due to the long absence from injury have led to predictions of a return to Korea.
At the time, an expert familiar with the American professional baseball major leagues was asked about the possibility of Ryu Hyun-jin’s return to Korea. The answer that came back was “don’t be funny”. His argument was that if Ryu Hyun-jin properly knew how much effort he had put in to get back on the big league mound, it would be hard to talk about a return to Korea.
He was right. Toronto Blue Jays’ ‘Korean Monster’ Ryu Hyun-jin is back again. In his rehabilitation appearances, he continued to fight well and stood on the mound again in the big leagues, showing off his strength with only four appearances. His pitch and restraint never fully recovered. However, his unique game management ability and pin point control are not inferior to those of his prime. He completely replaced the question mark after his own name with an exclamation point.
On the 2nd (hereinafter Korean time), he struggled with 4 runs in 5 innings in a return match against the Baltimore Orioles. I still saw hope. He was shaken at the beginning of the game, but immediately changed his pitching pattern and cooked a strong hit. He climbed the mound in the 6th inning and was hit with a home run, but was judged as a ‘half success’. In his second appearance on the 8th, he pitched 4 innings with no hitters against the Cleveland Guardians. He was injured after being hit by a batted ball, but he showed a fighting spirit, grabbed an out count, and returned to the dugout. He didn’t win, but he softened the question mark.
He overcame concerns about the aftereffects of his injury and took the mound as a starter against the Chicago Cubs on the 14th. And he led Toronto to an 11-4 victory with a 5-inning visa book. He threw a mix of a four-seam fastball, changeup, curveball, and cutter that pierced the corner of the border line, and cooked the opponent’s lineup well. On the 21st, he started again against the Cincinnati Reds. He was instrumental in a 10–3 win with a 5-inning visa book. He had a top speed of only 89.6 miles per hour (about 144.2 km), but he struck out seven times.
The question mark has definitely been replaced with an exclamation mark. He is praised as ‘the best ace’ along with the evaluation of the reputation. Even with a four-seam fastball that doesn’t hit 90 miles per hour (about 145 km/h), he makes major league sluggers’ bats go round. It complicates the head of the opponent batter with perfect tempo control. In just 21 days, he solidified his position, which had been unstable due to an injury gap of 1 year and 2 months. He is proudly included in the starting rotation and serves as a hidden card for Toronto’s counterattack in the second half.
The pro speaks sexually. As sluggishness and injuries overlap, there are bound to be many dark prospects. He made his way through the long, dark tunnel on his own. Ryu Hyun-jin succeeded in reviving again.