Blue Jays' Ryu Hyun-jin to skip road trip for simulated game

SEOUL, March 2 (Yonhap) -- Toronto Blue Jays' South Korean pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin will pitch in a simulated game this week instead of making a start on the road.

Manager Charlie Montoyo told reporters in Florida on Sunday (local time) that Ryu will stay in Dunedin rather than hitting the road to face the Tampa Bay Rays in Port Charlotte, about a two-hour drive south, on Wednesday.

"He wants to work on different stuff, so that's why we want to set it up like that," Montoyo said. "He feels like he wants to work on his pitches and do a simulated game. He felt like he needed that."

Ryu's next spring training appearance will come next Monday. The Blue Jays will play split squad games that day, with one half staying in Dunedin to host the Rays and the other half traveling south to Bradenton to take on the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Ryu, the reigning major league ERA champion and runner-up in the 2019 National League Cy Young Award voting, left the Los Angeles Dodgers after seven years to become the highest-paid pitcher in Blue Jays history with a four-year, US$80 million contract. Ryu has been known for his unique set of routines -- he doesn't throw between starts, for one -- and throughout camp, the Blue Jays have appeared willing to give the 32-year-old as much leeway as he needs to get ready for the season at his own pace.

Ryu made his spring debut last Thursday against the Minnesota Twins and gave up a run on three hits, including a solo home run, in two innings. He threw 26 of his 41 pitches for strikes.

After that up-and-down outing, Ryu said his plan for the next start was to throw 50 to 60 pitches across three innings.

Barring injury, Ryu will take the mound to begin the regular season against the Boston Red Sox at Rogers Centre in Toronto on March 26.

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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