Another good pitching came out. But there is homework left. Toronto Blue Jays Ryu Hyun-jin pitched well against the Cleveland Guardians in the 2023 Major League at Rogers Center in Toronto, Canada, on August 27. 스포츠토토

Ryu Hyun-jin, who started the game on the same day, scored three runs (two earned runs) in five innings. He threw 70 pitches in 5+ innings and recorded four hits (two home runs) and five strikeouts. His ERA for the season was 2.25.

It was a disappointing game with the help of defense. Ryu Hyun-jin gave up two solo home runs until the fifth inning, allowing two runs, and took the mound in the sixth inning. As he pitched only 60 pitches until the fifth inning, he could see his first quality start after returning from injury. However, after allowing a hit to the inning’s leadoff hitter Cole Calhoun, he led two follow-up batters to a double play ground ball in a row, but third baseman Matt Chapman and shortstop Santiago Espinal made consecutive errors. In the end, Ryu Hyun-jin left the mound without catching a single out count in the sixth inning and even allowed one more run.

Although he failed to start quality, Ryu Hyun-jin’s pitching was sharp again on the day. Ryu Hyun-jin pitched close to perfection until the fifth inning, except for allowing solo home runs to Jose Ramirez in the first inning and Tyler Freeman in the fifth inning, respectively. The curve at the forefront of this season has been raging again.

Ryu Hyun-jin faced Cleveland with a slower strategy. The ball speed of all balls except for the change-up decreased, and especially the curve, which slows down as it takes the mound, slowed down again on the same day. The curve ball speed, which averaged 71.2 miles per hour in his first appearance of the season, was 70.2 miles in his second appearance, 69.7 miles in his third appearance, and 68.8 miles in his last appearance. And on this day, the average speed was lowered to 67.4 miles per hour. It has become more difficult for batters to find the timing.

Ryu Hyun-jin, who lowered the ball speed of the curve, reduced his four-seam pitch to the lowest level 41 percent this season and actively mixed changeups and curves. In the first inning, he struck out Oscar Gonzalez with three changeups and one curve. On top of that, the number of cutters who threw only five in the last showdown increased, further confusing Cleveland batters. In the second inning, left-handed hitter Andres Jimenez struck out using two cutters that slightly ran away from the strike zone, which was the highlight of the use of the cutter.

Cleveland batters’ bats continued to split the air on a curve with a minimum speed of 64.6 miles per hour. On this day, the curve’s swing induction rate was 57%. If you hit a bat on a curve, more than half of it was a swing. Cleveland batters recorded only one hit each in the first, third, and fifth innings, and rarely connected Ryu Hyun-jin’s ball to a hit, and Ryu Hyun-jin continued the inning lightly by reducing the number of pitches. It was a more efficient pitching than the last Cincinnati Reds game with seven strikeouts.

However, anxiety factors were also revealed. As he lacks pitching power, he allows a big hit if he is mistaken or targeted. It is the biggest weakness of pitchers with weak pitching power. Jose Ramirez’s home run in the first inning was a mistake in throwing a fastball in the middle, and Tyler Freeman’s home run in the fifth inning was a curveball. Freeman saw through Ryu Hyun-jin’s strategy to catch off guard with a curve in the middle of the first pitch and sent the curve out of the fence.

Ryu Hyun-jin’s next appearance is expected to be the first game of three consecutive away games against the Colorado Rockies on September 2. It is an expedition to Colorado, or Coors Field. As it is an environment in which anxiety factors revealed on this day can be maximized, more thorough preparation is needed.