Toronto Blue Jays fans saw a scary sight when starting pitcher Hyun Jin Ryu went down with what appeared to be a knee injury. He was hit by a comebacker, a hard line drive that seemed to hit him in the leg.
He recovered enough to make the throw to first and get the out, but went down, seemingly in immense pain, immediately after.
Ryu only just made it back to the team from injury as this was his second start of the season. Blue Jays fans hope he will be able to become an important part of their rotation as the team chases the American League East crown. This injury could hamper that goal, but hopefully not for too long.
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Keegan Matheson of MLB.com was the first to report that Ryu had gone down with an injury:
“Hyun Jin Ryu is down on the field in Cleveland. He was running to first base to make a throw when he went down. Trainers and his full team surrounding him now” – Keegan Matheson
Fox Sports shared a video of the play and Ryu going down with injury only moments later.
“Ryu finished making this play after getting hit in the leg on this comebacker. He was able to walk off the field under his own power” – Fox Sports
The fact that he was able to walk off the field without assistance is a good sign that he possibly avoided major injury.
Can Hyun Jin Ryu be a difference-maker for the Toronto Blue Jays?
Assuming this injury is minor, Ryu could be a game-changer for the Blue Jays as they pursue the AL East title. They currently trail the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles, but both are within striking distance.
With how good both of those teams’ offenses are, the Toronto Blue Jays need elite pitching. A healthy Hyun Jin Ryu could bring an added dimension to their pitching staff that they need.