‘Gaussman shake-up’ Toronto threatens to miss out on PS again…’Four years together’ time to say goodbye to Ryu Hyun-jin gets closer and closer
The Toronto Blue Jays have lost their first game of the postseason and are in danger of elimination. Will we ever see Ryu Hyun-jin, 36, in a Toronto uniform again? The time for Ryu Hyun-jin to part ways with Toronto is fast approaching.
Toronto fell 1-3 to the Minnesota Twins in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Thursday (April 4). The loss puts the Jays in danger of being eliminated after taking game one of the best-of-three wild-card series.
Kevin Gausman got the start for Toronto, but he was shaky, allowing three runs on four hits (two homers) and three walks with five strikeouts in four innings. After giving up a leadoff walk to Edouard Julien in the first inning, he gave up a leadoff double to Royce Lewis, and then another solo shot to Royce Lewis in the third inning.
In the top of the fourth, Kevin Kiermaier hit an infield single with runners on first and second. The ball trickled behind the third baseman and Beau Bisset raced home from second, but was thwarted by shortstop Carlos Correa’s throw home.
Toronto got a run back in the top of the sixth when Kevin Kiermaier singled through the left side with runners on first and second, but couldn’t put any more pressure on Minnesota and dropped the game.Toronto has made the postseason three times in four years, from 2020 to this year. But they were all eliminated in the first round, the wild-card series. Four losses in four games. You have to go all the way back to Game 4 of the 2016 American League Championship Series against the Cleveland Indians (now the Guardians) for their last postseason win (5-1). They have now lost six straight postseason games.
Meanwhile, the loss increased Toronto’s chances of elimination, making it more likely that Hyun-Jin Ryu’s time with Toronto could be coming to an end. When Toronto announced their roster for the Wild Card Series, they left Ryu off the roster. Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios, and Chris Bassitt made up the postseason starting rotation, with Yusei Kikuchi planned to be utilized in the bullpen. In the best-of-three series, Ryu was underutilized and was eventually removed from the roster as expected. It’s not a shocker.
As Yahoo Sports Canada noted, “Ryu had no clear role in the three-game series; he didn’t have to wait in the wings for a start, and with an already deep left-handed bullpen, there’s limited use for a slow-pitching lefty.
MLB.com also noted that “the only major player missing from the regular-season roster is Ryu Hyun-jin. But that was expected for a three-game series. Ryu is seen as a depth option to stay with the team. He will be available in case the team needs a replacement due to injury.
Since his miraculous comeback in August of this year, 14 months after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his elbow in June of last year, Ryu has shown off his health, going 3-3 with a 3.46 ERA in 11 starts (20 earned runs in 52 innings), 14 walks, 38 strikeouts, and a 1.29 WHIP. For a guy who had elbow surgery in his late 30s and wasn’t expected to return, he exceeded expectations. While his velocity was down, he was able to survive with his fastball, big angle changeup, and command of his pitches, and he was a key part of Toronto’s late-season rotation. However, he was pulled before the fifth inning in each of the final three games of the regular season. In three games, he finished with a 5.25 ERA (7 earned runs in 12 innings) and three home runs. Failing to make any further inroads, Ryu has been eliminated from the race to start the Wild Card Series.
That could change if the team advances to the Division Series. With a best-of-five series, one more starter is needed. Ryu Hyun-jin could be in the mix, but Toronto’s loss in the first game of the best-of-three series increased their chances of being eliminated.
At this rate, his last start against the Tampa Bay Rays on April 1 (three innings, seven hits, two runs) could be his last in Toronto. Local media outlets have already mentioned the possibility that this could be Ryu’s last start in Toronto. This could be the end of the road for Ryu, who signed a four-year, $80 million contract with Toronto in 2020.
It’s hard to argue that Ryu has lived up to his four-year contract in Toronto, as he’s been plagued by injuries and elbow surgery. Of those four years, he’s only had two solid years. In 60 games, 315 innings, he went 24-15 with a 3.97 ERA. However, Ryu is considered the catalyst for Toronto’s investment. In 2020, Ryu led Toronto to the postseason in the COVID-19 shortened season. Ryu led the Jays back to the postseason after a four-year hiatus, and he finished third in the American League Cy Young Award that year.
Since then, Toronto has realized the value of its investment and bolstered its lineup with the addition of George Springer, Jose Gausman, Jose Berrios, and Chris Bassitt. It’s no coincidence that they made it to fall ball three out of four years after acquiring Hyun-jin Ryu in 2020. Ryu played a role in that.
John Schneider took over for Charlie Montoyo in the majors last year, but he was no stranger to Toronto’s culture and atmosphere, having worked his way up through the organization’s minor leagues. Schneider, who has a long history in Toronto, also emphasized that the club’s mood and atmosphere have changed since Ryu’s arrival.
“The signing of Hyun-jin Ryu was the first of many that changed the tide in Toronto,” he said in an interview with ‘Sportsnet Canada’ before Ryu’s final appearance on the first day of the season. “He was one of the best pitchers in the 2020 shortened season. “He was one of the best pitchers in the 2020 shortened season, but just having a pitcher of his caliber in Toronto set the tone for what we had to do going forward. Ryu’s influence was huge. He was a veteran pitcher who was always around and helped the other pitchers and catchers. He was really consistent,” he continued.
Hyun-jin Ryu has had an enormous impact on what Toronto is today. But with his four-year contract coming to an end this year, it’s unclear if he’ll be around for much longer. 온라인카지노 The timing of Ryu’s final appearance could make all the difference in Toronto’s postseason run.