Ryu Hyun-jin started the home game against the Texas Rangers in the 2023 Major League at Rogers Center in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on the 13th (Korea time) and recorded five hits (one home run), five strikeouts, one walk and three runs in six innings.
Ryu Hyun-jin, who underwent Tommy John surgery last year, pitched more than six innings for the first time in eight games since returning to the big leagues this season.
However, Ryu Hyun-jin came down the mound with his team trailing 0-3 due to the silence of Toronto's batters. If the game ends as it is, Ryu Hyun-jin will wear the yoke of defeat. The season's ERA also rose slightly to 2.93.
Ryu Hyun-jin got off to a fresh start in the top of the first inning, handling Marcus Simian with a foul fly to first baseman and Corey Seager with a grounder to second baseman. He later gave up a walk to Robbie Grossman, but finished the inning by catching Mitch Garber with a catcher foul fly.
Ryu Hyun-jin, who gained momentum, handled three batters with one ground ball and two fly balls in the top of the second inning, recording a three-way exit. He also struck out one in the top of the third inning and blocked the Texas lineup with a three-way exit.
Ryu Hyun-jin, who was cruising, faced a crisis in the top of the fourth inning. He allowed a hit to leadoff hitter Seager and sent out the runner, and Grossman hit a two-run home run over the left fence.
Ryu Hyun-jin finished the inning by blocking the follow-up batters well. At the top of the fifth inning, he seemed to find stability by creating a three-way shutout inning again.
The problem was the Toronto batting line. Toronto's batters were blocked by Texas starter Max Scherzer and failed to score. Ryu Hyun-jin gave up a double to Seager and a hit to Garber in the top of the sixth inning, and was on the verge of one out and runners on first and third base, allowing Jonah Haim to sacrifice fly and giving up one more run.
Ryu Hyun-jin, who kept the mound until the sixth inning, has already handed over the mound to Garcia in the top of the seventh inning.
Meanwhile, Toronto is being dragged 0-4 by giving up one more run in the seventh inning after Ryu Hyun-jin went down. If the game ends like this, Ryu Hyun-jin will become a losing pitcher.