Ryu Hyun-jin Ready for Big League Debut... Scheduled as Starting Pitcher for Baltimore Home Game on August 2

'Korean Monster' Ryu Hyun-jin (36, Toronto Blue Jays) will take the MLB mound for the first time in 1 year and 2 months.

Ryu Hyun-jin is scheduled to start in the MLB home game against the Baltimore Orioles at Rogers Centre in Toronto at 8:07 AM (KST) on the 2nd. Toronto manager John Schneider revealed Ryu's return schedule in an interview with local media, saying, "He is ready. There is no pitch count limit."

Ryu Hyun-jin is watching the game in the 8th inning of the away match against the LA Dodgers held on the 26th at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Toronto will play 17 consecutive games from the 29th of this month to the 14th of next month. With Ryu's return, Toronto will operate with a six-man starting rotation during this intense schedule. Manager Schneider said, "With a six-man rotation, starting pitchers can rest an extra day," adding, "Once the rotation cycles once or twice, we will feel the effect."

Ryu Hyun-jin's return to the MLB stage comes 1 year and 2 months after his last home game against the Chicago White Sox on June 2 last year. At that time, he pitched 4 innings, allowing 5 hits and 3 runs, then left the game due to elbow pain. He subsequently underwent left elbow ligament reconstruction surgery on June 19 and overcame the rehabilitation period.

This month, Ryu appeared in four minor league games to regain his game readiness. On the 22nd, he started a Triple-A game, pitching 6 innings and allowing only 2 runs while striking out 5 batters. He threw 85 pitches, the most since his surgery, and his top speed reached 90.8 mph (approximately 146 km/h).

Since debuting in MLB in 2013, Ryu Hyun-jin has recorded 175 games (174 starts), 75 wins, 45 losses, 1 save, and an earned run average (ERA) of 3.27. Preparing for his 176th game after 1 year and 2 months, Ryu pledged, "I want to contribute to the team's victory."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.