Hyun-Jin Ryu to start Thursday for Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

Fresh off the successful return of Brandon McCarthy, Hyun-Jin Ryu will try to make it 2 for 2 when he starts for the Dodgers on Thursday against San Diego.

Dave Roberts confirmed the news to reporters before tonight’s game.

Ryu has been sidelined even longer than McCarthy. His last start for Los Angeles came in Game 3 of the 2014 National League Division Series, when he held St. Louis to one run in six innings of a 3-1 loss.

That itself had been Ryu’s first appearance since September 12, 2014, when he exited after allowing four runs in the first inning at San Francisco.

Ryu started for the Dodgers in Spring Training 2015 but was on the disabled list when the regular season started, eventually having shoulder surgery in May, a little more than 13 months ago.

The 29-year-old has a 3.17 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with 7.7 strikeouts per nine innings in 56 starts since joining the Dodgers in 2013.

Ryu has made a total of eight rehab appearances in the minors this year, four of them since taking a three-week break. In his latest, on July 1, he threw 84 pitches in six innings.

With the All-Star Break approaching next week, the Dodgers haven’t made any definite plans about how their rotation will go, particularly with regards to tonight’s starter, Julio Urías, who is 6 1/3 innings away from matching last year’s total of 80 1/3. Urías can go past that point, but how far past hasn’t been specified.

What is likely is that this is Urías’ final appearance until after the All-Star Game. Kenta Maeda and Bud Norris is scheduled to pitch Tuesday and Wednesday, followed Thursday by Ryu. The rotation for the final three games against the Padres hasn’t been officially announced, but if everyone were to stay on turn, the three pitchers before the All-Star Break would be Scott Kazmir, McCarthy and Maeda, all on five days’ rest.

By the way, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com passed along the news that Brett Anderson on Wednesday will have his first bullpen session since his March back surgery. Alex Wood threw a bullpen session two days ago, Roberts said.