After enduring a grueling rehabilitation, Ryu Hyun-jin (36-Toronto) is finally satisfied to be back on a major league mound and pitching a winning game 444 days later. After more than a year of rehabilitation, it’s a day to celebrate a victory and, most importantly, a day to see him get better.
On Thursday, Hyun-jin Ryu started a home game against the Chicago Cubs at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and pitched five innings of two-hit ball, striking out three and walking two.
Ryu, who earned his first big league win in 444 days since May 27 last year against the Los Angeles Angels, told the local media after the game, “All my pitches were working as they have since the last game. So it was a good result,” he said, “I think I’m back to where I want to be.”
Ryu underwent elbow ligament reconstruction surgery on June 19 last year. For a pitcher in his mid-30s, elbow ligament reconstruction is a lifelong battle. The rehabilitation process can be quite lengthy, and many pitchers have experienced “side effects” afterward, such as a decrease in velocity.
It took Hyun-jin Ryu over 13 months to return to the big league mound. He returned to the mound on Feb. 2 in Baltimore and gave up four runs on nine hits in five innings, but on Feb. 8 in Cleveland, he pitched four scoreless innings with no hits and one walk before being removed after taking a hit to the knee, earning a win in his third start.
“I felt good from my first bullpen pitch after the surgery,” Ryu said, “and I never stopped rehabbing. Everything went smoothly, and now I’m satisfied with the results.”
Ryu has a 2.57 ERA in three starts since his return. Ryu, who filled a spot in Toronto’s six-man starting rotation after returning from a 17-game road trip that was one of the team’s biggest concerns this season, has kept his spot in the Toronto starting rotation, which is now back to five with the three strong outings.온라인바카
The win was Ryu’s first major league start at 36 years, 4 months, and 20 days. He became the oldest Korean major leaguer to win a start, surpassing Chan Ho Park (35 years, 10 months, 13 days), who won against the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 13, 2009.
Managers from both teams marveled at Ryu, who returned from more than a year of rehabilitation to win just three games.
Toronto manager John Schneider said, “He showed what he showed before (the injury), and he showed it again in the first three games. It’s not easy to do that at his age, but it seems to be easy for him.” “His velocity isn’t back yet, but he’s a guy who can throw,” said Chicago Cubs manager David Ross, “and his changeup is amazing.”