Ryu`s shoulder injury leads to Dodgers` 9-0 loss to Giants

It has become uncertain if pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin, 27, will be able to play during the remaining period of this season.

Ryu was substituted after reporting pain in his left shoulder during the game against San Francisco at AT&T Park on Saturday (Korea time). It was substitution in the first inning, his shortest play in a game, since his Major League debut. Losing four points in the first inning alone, he became a losing pitcher (14 wins, seven losses, ERA of 3.38). After the game, Ryu made positive comments, saying, “I am not worried because pain feels similar to that I had in April.” However, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said on Sunday, “I am suspicious of whether Ryu will be able to play in the game against Colorado set on Thursday,” predicting that Ryu may not be able to follow the rotation as a starting pitcher. Ryu’s next starting will likely be determined after precision diagnostics through magnetic resonance imaging on Tuesday.

Dodgers explained the reason Ryu was substituted by using the term “shoulder irritation.” The reason cited when he made the list of injured players on April 29 was ‘shoulder inflammation.’ Kim Yong-il, trainer coach at the LG Twins in Korea, said, “Irritation is a symptom that is mechanically repeated, and is different from inflammation.” It is pain that is caused by overuse of the shoulder over the past years.

The severity of his shoulder injury can be estimated through speed of his fastballs. Ryu only posted an average speed of fastballs at 143 km (about 89 miles) in the game against San Francisco. When pitching after taking a five-day rest in other times, he pitched faster balls. As a pitcher, he rarely allows hits en masse by the rival team’s batters. If he saw the speed of his pitches decline and allowed hits en masse in a single inning, it clearly entails problems. Ryu suffered injuries three times this year, which demonstrates how important it is to play throughout the season without incurring injury.