Ryu injury woes should have Jays searching for another arm

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In my experience, where there is smoke, there is fire. 

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Hyun Jin Ryu can attest to that.

Ryu was placed on the 15-day injured list on April 17 with left forearm inflammation. He was activated off the injured list in early May but continues to have issues with his elbow/forearm area. 

The 35-year-old left-hander was removed after five innings in his start on May 26 with soreness in his elbow, but both he and the Blue Jays organization downplayed their concerns. 

He made his next start on Wednesday, against the Chicago White Sox, but once again had to come out of the game early, this time after the fourth inning. He complained of tightness and discomfort in his forearm again. 

On Thursday, for the second time this season, the Jays placed Ryu on the 15-day IL with left forearm inflammation.

Ryu stated through his interpreter that this most recent pain he’s experiencing is similar to the soreness he felt after the injury he suffered earlier this season, and not the same discomfort he felt in his elbow in his previous start. 

His velocity drop in the second half of the 2021 season was suspicious, especially when coupled with his lack of command. It wreaked of arm issues. Now that the arm has flared up for the third time this season, it is clear that this is more than a tweak. 

The Jays are running further diagnostics on the elbow and forearm, but I will be surprised if he doesn’t have an injury to the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow or the flexor tendon in his forearm. It may not be something that necessarily immediately leads to surgery. But at this point, the team can’t count on him coming back completely healthy at any point this season. 

Ross