Dodgers Team News

Dodgers: Hyun-Jin Ryu Looking For Answers After Another Poor Outing

Hyun-Jin Ryu took his next turn in the starting rotation on Thursday — even after the Dodgers said he would likely skip a start — and he tossed his third straight bad outing. On the evening, Ryu allowed 7 earned runs in 4.2 innings pitched.

It made 2 consecutive outings where the left hander allowed 7 runs. In the outing before last, he allowed 4 runs in Atlanta and now the Dodgers and Ryu find themselves looking for answers.

LA manager Dave Roberts offered his thoughts after the game.

There was certainly bad luck in there, but I think that overall it’s one of those where he’s just off. I don’t know if it’s delivery — I understand that it’s three in a row that he hasn’t thrown the way he’s thrown all year, but it’s something for us…it’s not too far off.

The ace owns an ugly 11.05 ERA over his last 14.2 innings pitched with a surprising .368 average against, but still a strong 16-3 K/BB. This brings his season ERA up to 2.35, and his record to 12-5 in 25 starts. He hasn’t made this many starts or pitched this many innings since 2014, so the questions about fatigue will continue to creep up.

He only made 19 starts between the 2018 regular and postseason while totaling 101.2 innings pitched. In 2019, he’s now tossed 157.1 innings pitched.

Roberts feels that with Hyun-Jin’s velocity being “still there,” and noted that there hasn’t been a drop off in “stuff” but more in command.

While it’s less important than the overall goal of winning a championship, this recent streak of poor outings brings the field a bit closer to Ryu in terms of the NL Cy Young award race. While he’s long been viewed as the favorite to run away with the award, a healthy Max Scherzer in Washington is in the hunt to add his 4th honor.

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Dave Roberts says that the plan is for Ryu to make his next start where we hope he can get back on track for the stretch run.

Clint Pasillas

Clint Pasillas has been writing, blogging, and podcasting about the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2008. Under Clint's leadership as the Lead Editor, Dodgers Nation has grown into one of the most read baseball sites in the world with millions of unique visitors per month. Find him online on Twitter/X or his YouTube channel!

15 Comments

  1. Ryu has pitched way more innings than in the past. He looks fatigued and should take a couple of starts off .His location on pitches has been terrible. Most of all the league has figured him out and now he has to readjust to the competition.

  2. For those who want Kelly to close games, Kelly gave up 3 runs in 1 innings work last night. Kelly is no better then Jansen. This bullpen has been a problem for couple years now and the FO has failed to solve the problem. Siging Kelly hasnt helped and reclutance by FO, not to mention fans, to give up prospects has cast doubt on this team who’s won 88 games thus far. It’s a crying shame.

    1. People have wanted Kelly to close because he’s had a 1.35 era since late May. He had a bad outing but has turned it around since then and has been way better. Why don’t you actually pay attention and have some faith in the team instead of being a bandwagon fan and hating.

      1. You need to pay attention and be realistic. Kelly has had 1 good month but still has a 4.66era for the year. That’s more than 1 bad outing. The stats and his latest outing dont lie Kelly is not ready to close games. Not hating just calling it like it is. My faith is in Jansen because despite his struggles hes still the best reliever the Dodgers have.

        1. Joe Kelly will be fine. He was pitching on back to back nights, Dodgers played a late game against the Padres to the 10th inning the night before. Kelly gave up 6 HRs over 46 innings this year, that’s one HR every 7.6 innings, plus 3 of the HRs came in April when he wasn’t pitching well. In comparison Josh Hader gave up 13 HRs over 59 innings this year, that’s one HR every 4.5 innings. Joe Kelly isn’t the problem of the bullpen, Kenley Jansen is, when every sports publication in the country is calling out Jansen not being able to close throughout the season, it’s more than obvious Jansen can no longer get the job done. You can have all the faith in Jansen, come playoff time he will blow a save that will end the Dodgers season, it’s that simple.

          1. Matt, many have said that if Dodgers had traded Lux, May for a solid BP arm such as the Pirate’s Vasquez that he would automatically get us a WS ring…wrong. If Jansen was light’s out and we did trade Lux for Vasquez that STILL would not guarantee a WS appearance let alone a ring. Look at this offense that has to be shuffled around daily especially whenever a LHP is going and notice this offensive performance over the last couple weeks and you will know why getting ANY BP arm won’t help that much.

          1. While other guarantee that the Dodgers will win ring with Lux and May in the future..wrong. Not if the Dodgers dont have a bullpen that can hold leads late in the game like this years, last years and the year before Dodgers.

  3. Shut Ryu down now…. He’s outa bullets. Bring him back late September. He definitely needs a break. And even then, start the bullpen in the 4th inning. If he starts to fade, YANK him. Roberts has been giving him WAY too much rope ! Same with Jansen… The big guy may have to relinquish his closer role to Kelly, whose curve is plain nasty, and can bring the 100mph heat…

  4. Ryo has been one of the best pitchers in the game since the beginning of 2018, but right now be needs a pause to figure things out. Having him go out in a few days and get blasted one more time won’t do him any good. Unfortunately he lost the Cy Young when he got bombed on national TV against the Yankees. The only question now is whether he can right the ship before the postseason.

  5. Does anyone here still believe the Dodgers have what it takes to be successful in this upcoming PS and possible WS appearance. If ya want my answer it is a NO! Just recall last night’s game and the one CK pitched against the Yankees , along with an offense that looks more and more like last years and there are the reasons for my answer.

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