▲ In this USA Today Sports photo via Reuters, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies in the top of the first inning of a major league spring training game at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida, on March 26, 2021. (Yonhap)
▲ In this Canadian Press photo via Associated Press, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays leaps over the baseline as he heads to the dugout during the top of the third inning of a major league spring training game against the Philadelphia Phillies at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida, on March 26, 2021. (Yonhap)
▲ In this USA Today Sports photo via Reuters, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays (R) reacts after hitting Didi Gregorius of the Philadelphia Phillies to allow a run in the top of the first inning of a major league spring training game at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida, on March 26, 2021. (Yonhap)

MLB-pitcher

Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin feels ready for regular season following final spring start

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, March 27 (Yonhap) -- Having now pitched for the final time in spring training, Toronto Blue Jays' South Korean pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin can't wait to get into games that count.

The left-hander made 89 pitches in four innings against the Philadelphia Phillies at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida, on Friday (local time). Ryu was charged with three runs on eight hits, while he also walked a batter and hit another. He struck out five, four by swinging. He threw 59 of those pitches for strikes.

Ryu was lifted for Ty Tice with two outs in the third inning, having thrown 65 pitches, and then came back out to start the fourth inning before leaving the game for good with one out in the fifth. During spring training, clubs are allowed to pull starters and put them back into the game, and this was the first time the Blue Jays took advantage of that rule on Ryu.

Box-score stats weren't as important to Ryu as the fact that he feels prepared to start the regular season, he said.

"Things went smoothly, and I've been able to build up my pitch count slowly," said Ryu, who threw 77 pitches in his previous start and made an additional 10 pitches in the bullpen after Friday's start. "I felt like I was rushing it a bit on the mound, and it affected my balance. I wanted to slow things down in the bullpen and make some adjustments."

Though the Blue Jays haven't made any official announcement, Ryu is fully expected to start against the New York Yankees on Opening Day next Thursday in the Bronx. The Blue Jays hid Ryu from the Yankees during spring training, having him throw in unofficial scrimmages instead of facing the American League East division rivals.

"It doesn't matter where I pitch. Playing on Opening Day is always exciting," said Ryu, who also started the first game in each of the past two years: 2020 with Toronto and 2019 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. "I think every player would feel the same way. The first game of the season is always exciting, regardless of the venue."

Ryu said he feels he's much better prepared to begin the season than a year ago, when spring training proceedings were interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic and the start of the regular season was postponed to July. He recalled he had to ramp back down in March and hurried back up in July during a hastily organized summer camp, which led to some mediocre starts at the beginning of the regular season

"I've had enough time to build up my body more systematically," Ryu said. "Things are much better this year than the last, given the way my body feels and the way I've been making pitches."

The Phillies made Ryu work right from the first inning, loading the bases with a single, a walk and another single. Ryu then hit Didi Gregorius with a first-pitch curveball to let in the game's first run. Ryu needed 25 pitches to get out of the opening frame.

No. 9 hitter Ronald Torreyes proved particularly pesky, as he hit a single after a nine-pitch battle in the second and got another hit after getting ahead 3-0 in the count in the fourth.

Bryce Harper greeted Ryu with a line drive home run to center field to start the fifth inning. Ryu left a belt-high fastball over the middle of the plate, and Harper made no mistake.

Rhys Hoskins, the next batter, almost went deep himself, as his towering fly ball hit the top of the left field fence for a double.

A groundout later, Ryu's up-and-down day was done.

According to Baseball Savant, Ryu's fastball topped out at 91.8 mph. He threw 33 fastballs, 22 cutters, 20 changeups and 14 curveballs.

While some pitchers tend to limit their workload in their final spring game, Ryu said he prefers to work up a sweat late in camp.

"Mentally, I feel more comfortable throwing 90 to 100 pitches in my last spring start," Ryu said. "That way, I will be able to throw that many pitches once the season begins."

He also shrugged off Harper's homer and seven other hits in this game, saying he was only concerned about the way his body reacted to the increased workload.

"Obviously, I think it helps to face regular hitters like today," Ryu said. "But during spring training, I only focus on my own preparation. During the regular season, my pitch sequence will be different."

(END)

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