© Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Blue Jays' Ryu to Require Surgery, Will Miss Remainder of 2022
Blue Jays starter Hyun Jin Ryu will have elbow surgery to repair ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) damage and will miss the rest of the 2022 season, according to general manager Ross Atkins.
Ryu is said to have a "chronic" UCL injury, according to Atkins, and the Blue Jays are still deciding whether the 35-year-old needs full Tommy John surgery or some sort of partial repair.
The elbow injury is chronic since it occurred over time through wear and tear, Atkins said. An "acute" UCL injury would've shown significant swelling, ligament damage, or even a tear. That wasn't the case with Ryu.
"We were hopeful that there was the potential of a conservative route and weighed the pros and cons of that and ultimately decided that it was best to move forward with the procedure," Atkins said, speaking in the Blue Jays' dugout Tuesday.
Atkins is hopeful Ryu will pitch "at some point" in 2023 after he undergoes the treatment, whatever it is.
It's a frustrating development for Ryu, who was placed on the injured list with forearm irritation on April 17 and then again on June 2.
"[Ryu is] extremely disappointed," Atkins said. "He, I think, got to the point where he said, 'I just want to compete as quick as humanly possible,' and felt like this was the best thing to do that and focus on doing that for us."
A season-ending injury in the third season of Ryu's four-year, $80-million contract—signed in 2019—isn't ideal, but it doesn't mean Ryu's tenure in Toronto was a complete failure. The left-hander finished third in AL Cy Young voting during the shortened 2020 season, which Atkins called an "integral" year for turning the Blue Jays around.
"He was a stabilizer for us," the Jays GM said. "You could absolutely lay your head on the pillow that he was going to go out and keep us, not only in the game, but we would not have to score as much to potentially win ... so, impacted by injury now but feel very good about that acquisition, even though we are here today."
With Ryu gone, Ross Stripling takes over as the Blue Jays' fifth starter for the rest of the season. In seven starts, the right-hander has pitched well, with a 2.81 ERA in 32 innings pitched and only two walks and home runs allowed.
"Pitching as effectively as he has, I feel very good about his ability to impact for not just weeks or months but for the duration," Atkins said of Stripling.
Atkins also made it clear he was leaving the door open for additional reinforcements to Toronto's pitching staff.
"There's a guy on our roster; there's a couple guys off our roster that could be alternatives," he said. "We could think of it creatively, and then obviously we have to consider deadline opportunities and just trade acquisitions that could bolster our depth there."
