Hyun-jin Ryu To Start The Season On Disabled List, Everyone Annoyed

As if the Dodgers could get through an entire spring without somebody getting hurt. The club is preparing to begin the season with left hander Hyun-jin Ryu on the disabled list. According to reports, Ryu is flying back to Los Angeles to have his tight left shoulder examined by team physicians.

Ryu’s Shoulder is sore again-Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

The Dodgers had shut Ryu down for a few days after he reported feeling tightness in his left shoulder after a recent start last Wednesday afternoon against the Rangers. He threw three innings in that outing, allowed three runs on three hits, (two earned), and struck out two. His velocity was reported as declining during that start. However after the game he reported feeling tightness in the shoulder.

So the Dodgers shut him down for three days and gave him an inflammation inducing injection in hopes that he could avoid the disabled list. That boat appears to have sailed. This is the same injury Ryu felt last season that disabled him for three weeks in the beginning of the season, and then sidelined him for the final three weeks of the regular season in September. I guess it’s better to lose him for a couple of weeks now, then in September. It;s not his elbow, which is good. So hopefully it’s nothing more than general soreness.

Call to the Pen

Ryu was unable to even play catch without feeling discomfort Sunday afternoon. The Dodgers and Ryu still feel like it’s not as serious as the ailment suffered last season, but they would like to air on the side of caution. With Ryu starting the season on the DL, the Dodgers will already have to dip into their starting pitching depth before opening day.

I wrote a short article listing most of the Dodger’s starting pitching depth options to replace Ryu. You can check that out here.