Dodgers Injury Update: Ryu Possibly Out For Regular Season
Without Hyun-Jin Ryu available, the Los Angeles Dodgers suffered a blowout loss at the hands of the Colorado Rockies and face some uncertainty moving forward. Ryu received a cortisone shot and had an MRI of his irritated throwing shoulder that didn’t reveal any changes from an exam in May.
Ryu joined the team in Chicago late Thursday and offered an update on his status Friday. According to J.P. Hoornstra of LA Daily News, although Ryu is healthier, the left-hander has yet to determine when he will return to the mound:
Overall I feel a lot better than at first,” Ryu said through his interpreter Friday. “I’ve been working out, obviously without throwing and hurting my shoulder further. It’s a good direction. I can’t really say when (I’ll be back).”
Ryu is 14-7 with a 3.38 ERA over 26 starts this season. The plan is for Ryu to begin sub-maximal throwing program, though when that will begin is dependent on his health and not a set date:
The plan was to start my throwing program as soon as I feel good enough after my shot,” Ryu said, “and that’s not today.”
With that in mind, there’s a chance Ryu won’t see action until the a potential first round playoff series in October, which manager Don Mattingly didn’t seemed concerned over:
I think he’s earned it,” he said. “The fact that the way he works — he doesn’t throw the ‘pens in between (starts) — and just his routine is different than most guys’. When he says he’s good to go, he’s good to go. It’s easy to trust him because we’ve seen him be able to do it. He’s different in those aspects of the way that he works. It’s different than every other guy.”
If the Dodgers win the National League West division, their first round series would begin Friday, Oct. 3. Should that be the case, Ryu likely wouldn’t be needed until Game 3, scheduled for Oct. 6; that would mean roughly three weeks of rest and recovery for Ryu.
