“I can’t believe this injury…” Ryu Hyun-jin loses more than he gained, is this the end for his best catcher?
At Coors Field, the “graveyard of pitchers,” Hyun-jin Ryu (36-Toronto Blue Jays) survived, but his “best friend” Danny Jansen (28) was fatally injured. It may be the last time the two will ever share a battery.
Ryu pitched five innings of four-hit ball (one homer), two walks and three strikeouts in Toronto’s 13-9 win over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado, USA, on April 2.
Located at an elevation of 1600 meters above sea level, Coors Field is known for being a hitter-friendly ballpark with low air resistance that allows balls to travel far. Umpire Angel Hernandez, who officiated the game, is notorious for his inconsistent zones. In the face of these two adverse conditions, Ryu held steady and pitched five innings of two-run ball.
He gave up a two-run homer to Elijuris Montero in the third inning, but settled down for the next four innings without much trouble. He threw 37 four-seam fastballs (up to 90.1 mph (145 km/h)), plus a cutter (17), curve (12), and changeup (10). He’s been having fun with his cutter, which has become his new primary weapon.
After pitching five straight games with two or fewer earned runs, Ryu was replaced by 76 pitches and his ERA rose from 2.25 to 2.48. More than anything, the bullpen struggles cost us four wins. With a 4-2 lead, reliever Genesis Cabrera came in with runners on first and second in the sixth inning and gave up a game-winning three-run homer to Nolan Jones.
But there was more bad news for Ryu. Jansen, the catcher who had teamed up with Ryu to hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning to tie the game at 2-2, was injured. Jansen, who was hit in the right hand by a two-pitch foul ball from Colorado’s Jones while fielding in the sixth inning, played the rest of the inning before being replaced by pinch-hitter Alejandro Kirk in the seventh.
According to local media, including Canada’s Sportsnet, Jansen underwent X-rays and was found to have fractured the bone at the base of his right middle finger. The Jays have decided to recall catcher Tyler Heinemann from Triple-A, although further tests will be performed to determine a more accurate status. Further tests are pending, but for the time being, Jansen will not be able to wear the catcher’s mask.
“It’s unfortunate, it’s a pretty weird injury,” Toronto manager John Schneider said, adding, “It seems like they’re all coming at once right now.” The Jays lost starting third baseman Matt Chapman (finger), shortstop Bo Bissett (quadriceps) and now Jansen this week. Chapman and Bissett are expected to return soon, but Jansen’s fracture is expected to keep him out for the rest of the season.
Jansen, who is in his sixth year with Toronto after making his major league debut in 2018, is batting 22-for-61 (268 RBI) with 17 home runs, 53 RBI and a .786 OPS in 86 games this year. The 17 home runs are a career high. Most importantly, his defense has stabilized, making him the most prolific catcher since Hyun-jin Ryu arrived in Toronto in 2020. In his four years in Toronto, Ryu started 41 of 55 games with Jansen, posting a 3.47 ERA in 215⅓ innings.바카라사이트
But with this injury, he won’t be able to share time with Jansen for the rest of the season. It’s also bad news for Ryu. He has only shared the mound with Kirk once before, on April 17 of last year against the Oakland Athletics, and it didn’t go well, giving up five runs on six hits (one home run) in four innings with no walks and one strikeout. Heinemann has yet to work with him.
Ryu is a free agent at the end of the season, and it’s possible he could leave Toronto. This game at Coors Field could be the last time the Ryu-Jansen battery plays together.
