Injury Concerns Dampen Ryu's MLB Milestone

There was cause for celebration.

The Blue Jays won 7-3, extending their win streak to seven games, and Hyun Jin Ryu just passed a significant MLB milestone, reaching 1,000 career innings pitched. But instead, Toronto's lefty starter stood somber in front of the media after the game, discussing the latest arm ailment that forced him out of Wednesday's outing.

Ryu was officially removed from Toronto's win with left forearm tightness, and will soon get imaging on his arm to determine next steps. A start after Ryu was removed with elbow tightness, his velocity was down once again on Wednesday, sitting three to four miles per hour below his standard. Ryu managed to work four innings before leaving the contest, passing the 1,000 IP milestone in the first frame.

"I don't think [the tightness] is similar to my last start," Ryu said through an interpreter, "It felt more similar to earlier in the season when I was hurt."

Ryu rocked back into his windup in the first inning as a smattering of Blue Jays fans began a building clap. As the applause crescendoed, Ryu delivered a pitch he’s thrown countless times throughout his career. The changeup, nestled perfectly at the bottom of the strike zone, confounded Jose Abreu, earning Ryu a strikeout and his 1,000th MLB inning along with it.

"Relative to the number of years that I've pitched the big leagues, I don't think that's a lot of innings," Ryu said. "But again, it's one of those things I didn't really think about going into the game. I just want to make sure that my focus is on pitching more innings and going deeper into games."

While located changeups and a befuddling pitch mix highlight Ryu's nine-year MLB career, his 1,000 innings are also headlined by crushing injuries. The lefty missed all of the 2015 season, made a single start in 2016, and has already spent a month on the Injured List in 2022.

With almost two years left on a four-year contract, the Blue Jays need a healthy Ryu to complement a strong rotation. While Toronto's bullpen cleanly covered the final innings after the starter left on Wednesday, a healthy and dealing Ryu brings an unmatched peak to Toronto. He's appeared in an All-Star Game, been a Cy Young finalist twice, and owns a career 3.25 ERA across his 1003.1 innings. While hurlers like Ryu's opposition on Wednesday, flame-throwing Michael Kopech, become more the norm, the lefty continues to pave a path for soft tossers.

“A lot of catchers are almost setting up in the heart of the plate and guys are just throwing it to the heart and trusting their stuff is gonna move one way or the other,” Ross Stripling said. “Me and Hyun Jin are still like no, line me up on the edges, give me a target.”

On Wednesday Ryu flashed that same changeup location, well-timed fastball, and pinpoint location he's had throughout his 1,000 career innings. Despite loud contact, he had some of Chicago's best hitters off-balance all night. But on what should've been an evening of career reflection and celebration, injury worries dampened the mood.