There are signs that the MLB lockdown is going to end in the fairly near future. The two parties are talking to each other and progress is being made. However, there is no guarantee that spring training will start on time, which could affect players early in the season. It’s something the Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Hyun Jin Ryu found a way around.
Whether or not spring training starts on time for the major league players, Ryu won’t have to worry. He is expected to travel to South Korea and train with the Hanwha Eagles, his former KBO team.
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu still practices in the spring
If spring training is pushed back, even if it’s only a week or two away, Ryu could have an early season advantage. While other players would still be working on the issues, he would be at his usual pace to start the season, which would give him even more of an edge.
The Blue Jays must hope that makes a difference for Ryu in 2022. After a great first season in Toronto, he struggled last year, posting a 4.37 ERA and 1.225 WHiP in 169 innings, striking out only 143 batters with 43 walks. . His 7.6 K/9 rate was his lowest mark since his rookie campaign in 2013 when he posted his highest ERA of any full major league season.
It’s possible his performance in 2021 was an aberration. After all, many players struggled with the whole season after the pandemic cut short the 2020 campaign. Ryu was simply one of them.
But the Blue Jays need it to be just one year. Their playoff aspirations will hinge on Ryu’s ability to get back into shape, providing them with another rotational upper arm to partner with. Jose Berrios. This is especially the case now that Robbie Ray is gone, creating a big void in the rotation. This early start to spring training might be just what Ryu needs.
Hyun Jin Ryu is going through full spring training one way or another. The Toronto Blue Jays pitcher will join his former KBO team to prepare.
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