Ryu Hyun-jin started the 2023 MLB away match against the Colorado Rockies held at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado, USA on the 2nd (Korean time) and pitched 76 pitches, 4 hits (1 home run), 2 walks, 3 strikeouts, and 2 runs in 5 innings. (2 earned runs). Even though he went down the mound in a situation where he met the conditions for victory, he was unable to achieve victory, but it was a pitch that did its job perfectly.
Ryu Hyun-jin, who underwent Tommy John surgery and underwent more than a year of rehabilitation, returned to the big leagues in a match against the Baltimore Orioles on the 2nd. In his first appearance, he gave up 4 runs (4 earned), including 9 hits in 5 innings. However, it was a hasty judgment to judge everything based on one game. Ryu Hyun-jin’s true value came from his second appearance.
Ryu Hyun-jin unintentionally went down the mound after suffering a dizzying accident when he was hit by a hard hit in a match against the Cleveland Guardians on the 8th, but he announced the return of the ‘Korean Monster’ by pitching a ‘no hit’ in 4 innings, and later, the Chicago Cubs-Cincinnati team. In the match against the Reds and Cleveland, he pitched 2 runs in 5 innings and won 3 times in a row. And on this day, they set out to challenge for their 4th consecutive win.
Considering Ryu Hyun-jin’s recent pitching, the Colorado Rockies, who are at the bottom of the National League, were not an opponent that would be an obstacle. The problem was ‘environment’. Coors Field, located in an alpine area, is a stadium with a longer distance compared to other stadiums and is called the ‘pitcher’s graveyard.’ Ryu Hyun-jin’s career performance at Coors Field was also very poor, with 1 win, 4 losses, and an ERA of 7.09. However, Ryu Hyun-jin, who was recently at his peak, was solid.
Ryu Hyun-jin got off to a good start by tying up the Colorado batting lineup with a three-way strike from the start of the first inning, and continued his cruise in the second inning by neatly blocking the main batting lineup of Ryan McMahon, Brandon Rogers, and Hunter Goodman. The most disappointing thing about this day’s game was the bullpen’s run loss and the home run he hit in the third inning, which were the decisive reasons why Ryu Hyun-jin was unable to secure a victory.
Ryu Hyun-jin, who had recorded three strikeouts in two consecutive innings, started the inning by getting a hit by leadoff hitter Nolan Jones at the start of the third inning. And in a match against follow-up batter Eleuris Montero, he used 4 consecutive change-ups. The 4th change-up thrown from 1B-2S was formed toward the middle of the strike zone, and this miss led to the first two-run home run. Afterwards, Ryu Hyun-jin faced a crisis when he was hit by a walk by Charlie Blackmon and a double by Ezekiel Tovar. But Ryu Hyun-jin did not waver.
Ryu Hyun-jin made the second out by catching Elias Diaz with a pitcher’s grounder in the ensuing crisis with one out and second and third bases on base, and struck out McMahon to end the inning without allowing a run. And in the 4th inning, they were once again on the verge of conceding a run due to umpire Angel Hernández’s unclear ball decision, but they once again showed off their crisis management skills by turning Montero, who had given up a home run in the previous at-bat, into a double play.
Ryu Hyun-jin, who overcame two major crises, did his part by allowing two runs in five innings, once again tying up the batting lineup of Brenton Doyle, Blackmon, and Tovar with a three-way strike in the fifth inning. And amidst Ryu Hyun-jin’s fight, Toronto’s ‘best friend of the soul’ Danny Jansen hit a come-from-behind two-run gun in the top of the 6th inning with the score tied 2-2, and Ryu Hyun-jin went down the mound with the necessary conditions for victory. However, Toronto lost the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, and Ryu Hyun-jin ended the game with a no decision.
Although there was disappointment in not being able to achieve an individual victory, Ryu Hyun-jin came down the mound to lay the foundation for the team to win, and Toronto, which is fiercely competing for a postseason ticket, reaped a valuable victory. As a result, Ryu Hyun-jin was reborn as a ‘victory icon’ by helping the team achieve 5 wins in 6 appearances after returning to the big league.
The local media heaped praise on Ryu Hyun-jin for overcoming the ‘pitcher’s graveyard’ Coors Field. Canada’s ‘Sportsnet’ said, “Ryu Hyun-jin recorded 2 runs in 5 innings, which would be equivalent to 7 innings of scoreless pitching if not at Coors Field.” He added, “He could have continued to pitch, but as the bullpen had had enough rest, it was impossible to push further. “It wasn’t necessary,” he said, praising Ryu Hyun-jin’s pitching.
The Toronto team was also properly excited. The Toronto team, which posted a post saying “Ryu Hyun-jin’s form is crazy” after winning its second win of the season against Cincinnati on the 21st of last month, once again posted a video of Ryu Hyun-jin pitching on social media and said, “Since Ryu Hyun-jin’s return, his ERA is 2.48,” and “He is a living legend.” “He gave a thumbs up.
America’s ‘CBS Sports’ also praised, “Ryu Hyun-jin allowed 4 hits, 2 walks, and 2 runs in 5 innings against Colorado. Although he hit a two-run home run from Ezequiel Montero in the bottom of the 3rd inning, Ryu Hyun-jin was solid in Colorado’s difficult environment.” Ryu Hyun-jin has recorded 2 earned runs or less in 5 innings in each of his last 5 games, recording an ERA of 1.50 with 20 strikeouts in 24 innings. Ryu Hyun-jin will continue his good time in the away game on Wednesday (the 7th, Korean time), when he is likely to make his next start. “It will be,” he said, expressing high expectations.
While there are many players who cannot return to the mound after just one Tommy John surgery, Ryu Hyun-jin is continuing his excellent form by overcoming two major surgeries. The value of Ryu Hyun-jin, who is about to become a free agent (FA), is increasing day by day.
By: 토토사이트웹