by STEVE HAN
After splitting Games 1 and 2 at home, the Los Angeles Dodgers will rely on Hyun-Jin Ryu to give them the series lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Division Series today at Busch Stadium.
There is still a big question mark looming over Ryu’s left shoulder, which the southpaw injured after pitching just one inning on Sept. 12 when the San Francisco Giants shelled him for five hits and four runs. The 27-year-old hasn’t pitched in a game since, but he was recently cleared by team doctors after throwing in a bullpen session and a simulation game last week.
During last year’s postseason, Ryu also started the Game 3 versus the Cardinals at home in the National League Championship Series after the Dodgers lost both Games 1 and 2 in St. Louis. He revived the Dodgers’ hopes by throwing a seven shutout innings on just three hits, leading them to a 3-0 win. However, the Dodgers ultimately lost the series in six games.
Including that postseason outing, Ryu has faced the Cardinals three times in his career and currently holds a 2-1 record with an impressive 1.71 earned run average.
“I feel very confident right now,” Ryu said through an interpreter at the Dodgers’ optional workout in St. Louis on Sunday. “My arm feels really good. My shoulder feels really strong, and I have a pretty good feeling I’ll be able to put in a good game tomorrow.”
Dodgers manager Mattingly referred to two separate occasions in which Ryu returned from an injury after missing several weeks of action and pitched well.
“If it wasn’t Hyun-Jin, I would probably be a lot more nervous,” Mattingly said. “But he seems to be able to not throw a whole lot and be pretty sharp.”
Ryu missed about three weeks in May with a shoulder injury, but gave up only two runs on nine hits in six innings against the New York Mets on his first game back. In August, he missed over two weeks with a strained glute, but returned against the San Diego Padres and pitched seven strong innings and gave up only four hits and one run.
Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis agreed with Mattingly that Ryu will be ready to pitch despite his three-week absence.
“This has happened in the past,” Ellis said. “He’s not somebody who we feel like needs a ton of work in between or a lot to get him back going again. So we’re extremely confident.”
Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp, who hit the game-winning solo home run in the eighth inning of Game 2, also gave Ryu the vote of confidence.
“We have all the confidence in the world in him,” Kemp said after Game 2. “We’re going to go out there and back him up and try to get Game 3.”
Featured photo courtesy of News One
