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By Jon Weisman
I haven’t had my heart beating in the middle innings of a game in May like that since I don’t know when.
Tag: Hyun-Jin Ryu (Page 6 of 7)
By Jon Weisman
It had happened only five times in the past 30 years, but now it has happened twice in two months. As they did on April 6 against the Giants, the Dodgers won tonight without a single one-base hit.
Los Angeles defeated New York, 4-3, on the strength of solo homers by Adrian Gonzalez, Yasiel Puig and Hanley Ramirez (the latter two back to back) and doubles by Matt Kemp and Chone Figgins (the latter coming home on an eighth-inning fielder’s choice).
The April 6 game is the only time the Dodgers have had more than five hits in a game without a single. Of course, it was only six years ago that the Dodgers won with no hits at all.
Other tidbits from tonight:
- Hyun-Jin Ryu, who came off the disabled list with a season and career ERA of 3.00, maintained that by allowing two runs in six innings. Ryu struck out eight in his first four innings and nine overall, but his road scoreless streak ended at 33 innings when Eric “Don’t call me Earl” Campbell hit a two-run, sixth-inning home run.
- The maligned Dodger bullpen had thrown eight consecutive shutout innings, before a one-out triple by Juan Lagares in the ninth inning off Kenley Jansen led to a run. Jansen fanned David Wright to end the game.
- Brandon League escaped the seventh inning despite runners on second and third and two out, extending his personal streak without an earned run to 21 1/3 innings.
- Figgins’ double raised his season on-base percentage to .444. As a pinch-hitter, Figgins has reached base in 9 of 19 plate appearances.
- Puig pushed his slugging percentage past .600, while Gonzalez has homered in three straight games.
Dodgers at Mets, 4:10 p.m.
Dee Gordon, 2B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Matt Kemp, CF
Carl Crawford, LF
Justin Turner, 3B
A.J. Ellis, C
Hyun-Jin Ryu, P
Dee Gordon, 2B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Matt Kemp, CF
Carl Crawford, LF
Justin Turner, 3B
A.J. Ellis, C
Hyun-Jin Ryu, P
By Jon Weisman
There will be no wait and see with Juan Uribe’s right hamstring strain. The Dodger third baseman is going on the disabled list, with defensive whiz Erisbel Arruebarrena (above left, with Yasiel Puig in Spring Training) coming up to fortify the infield in his absence.
The Dodgers are also expected to activate starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu from the disabled list. A corresponding roster move has yet to be announced. Update: Chris Withrow has been optioned to make room for Ryu.
Uribe injured himself in the ninth inning of Tuesday’s game while running out his 11th double of the 2014 season. It was his fourth start and fifth appearance since missing five games with the original hamstring injury. During his recovery, a hospital bed provided the necessary support and comfort. For patients recovering from injuries who need a specialized bed to aid their recovery process, discover solutions for enhanced home healthcare.
Following his redemptive 2013 season, Uribe was off to another strong start in 2014. According to Fangraphs, Uribe has been the fourth most valuable third baseman in baseball this year. His .785 OPS and 119 OPS+ are even higher than his totals from last season. Uribe has already reached base more times seven more times in 2014 than he did in all of 2012.
Arruebarrena, whom the Dodgers signed to a five-year contract February 22, has a sterling defensive reputation at shortstop. His bat could be a liability, as illustrated by a .252 on-base percentage and .302 slugging percentage at Double-A Chattanooga, though he is 12 for 37 with a walk, a double and a home run in his last nine games.
At least initially, Justin Turner and Chone Figgins figure to take the bulk of Uribe’s missing innings.
Ryu, who has a 3.00 ERA in seven starts this year, hasn’t allowed a run on the road in 28 innings dating back to last year and has a 0.98 ERA on the road dating back to August 8, with 45 strikeouts against 38 baserunners in 55 1/3 innings.
Withrow has a 2.95 ERA in 21 1/3 innings with the Dodgers, extending his career-long streak of allowing no inherited runners to score to 16.
By Jon Weisman
Clayton Kershaw might be close to a return to active duty, but an optimal starting rotation for the Dodgers will have to wait for another couple of weeks at least.
Hyun-Jun Ryu has been placed on the disabled list, retroactive to April 28, with left shoulder inflammation as one of a series of roster moves today by the Dodgers.
Los Angeles is also sending reliever Paco Rodriguez and 26th man Red Patterson to Albuquerque, and recalling utility man Chone Figgins and reliever Jose Dominguez.
Ryu has pitched shutout ball in four of his seven starts this year, allowed two runs in another and was hit hard in this third start and his seventh, both day games in Los Angeles. Assuming they don’t want to start Zack Greinke on three days’ rest, the Dodgers will need to make another roster move to replace Ryu for Sunday’s start against Miami’s Jose Fernandez. Tentatively, Zack Greinke and Kershaw (if activated from the DL) are scheduled to pitch Monday and Tuesday in Washington.
Mattingly said Ryu has shoulder inflammation. Cropped up after last start and did not improve. No MRI planned.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) May 2, 2014
Mattingly said Ryu"s injury is not believed serious.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) May 2, 2014
Rodriguez allowed three runs and five baserunners in 1 1/3 innings in his two outings since returning from Albuquerque earlier this week, while Dominguez has been scored upon in three of his four MLB outings in 2014, allowing six runs in five innings. This will be the fourth separate stint with the Dodgers for Dominguez. After making the trip to Australia, he was optioned March 29, recalled April 2, optioned April 9, recalled April 21 and optioned April 27 before being recalled again today.
Patterson pitched 4 2/3 innings in Thursday’s nightcap, allowing one run while looking good in his middle three innings. Figgins has gone 7 for 25 with six walks for a .419 on-base percentage with the Isotopes.
.@HyunJinRyu99 paying respect to those affected by the sinking of the Sewol ferry in South Korea: pic.twitter.com/JjyrmPOel9
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 17, 2014
By Jon Weisman
Dodger pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu will sign autographs for fans Sunday from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Viva Los Dodgers in Lot 6 for monetary donations that will benefit the survivors and families of those who lost their lives aboard the South Korean ferry Sewol, which capsized on April 16.
Ryu will also select a fan at Viva Los Dodgers to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Sunday’s game.
Ryu will sign autographs for donations in the Dodgers’ autograph tent located to the right of the stage. On Friday, Ryu pledged a $100,000 donation via his HJ 99 foundation to a charity to help those affected by the Sewol ferry disaster.
Viva Los Dodgers, which begins at 10:30 a.m., is free with a ticket to Sunday’s game against Arizona.
By Jon Weisman
Well, that was a nice wire-to-wire victory for the Dodgers tonight.
As Los Angeles stomped the Arizona Diamondbacks, 6-0 in 141 minutes, allowing only two singles and two walks, these noteworthy feats emerged.
Hyun-Jin Ryu
Ryu allowed six earned runs in two innings at the Dodgers’ home opener a week ago. Here’s how far back you have to go to find more than six earned runs allowed by Ryu on the road:
- Tonight at Arizona: seven innings, zero runs
- March 30 at San Diego: seven innings, zero runs
- March 23 at Arizona (in Sydney): five innings, zero runs
- Sept. 24 at San Francisco: seven innings, one earned run
- Sept. 16 at Arizona: eight innings, two earned runs
- Aug. 19 at Miami: 7 1/3 innings, three earned runs
- Aug. 8 at St. Louis: seven innings, one unearned run
- Aug. 2 at Chicago Cubs: 5 1/3 innings, two earned runs
Ryu has pitched 21 consecutive shutout innings on the road and has a road ERA of 0.27 in his last 33 road innings.
Adrian Gonzalez
Gonzalez had five RBI tonight — four by the top of the third inning — to give him the 24th game of at least four RBI in his career and third game of at least five RBI. His career high of six RBI came against the Dodgers on May 19, 2010.
Hanley Ramirez
The Dodger shortstop had two doubles tonight, tying him for the MLB lead with six this season. One of three Dodgers to play all 100 innings his season, Ramirez has combined his new-found durability with a .383 on-base percentage and a .595 slugging percentage.
Dee Gordon
Two more hits for Gordon, whose OBP is now .439 while slugging .541. He also stole his fifth base, tying him for second in the Majors. Still, expect him to start Saturday’s game on the bench when the Dodgers face Arizona lefty Wade Miley.
Giants at Dodgers, 1:10 p.m.
Carl Crawford, LF
Yasiel Puig, RF
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, CF
Juan Uribe, 3B
A.J. Ellis, C
Dee Gordon, 2B
Hyun-Jin Ryu, P
Carl Crawford, LF
Yasiel Puig, RF
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, CF
Juan Uribe, 3B
A.J. Ellis, C
Dee Gordon, 2B
Hyun-Jin Ryu, P
By Jon Weisman
Though Matt Kemp has been activated, he is not in today’s starting lineup. As SportsNet LA’s Allanna Rizzo notes on Twitter, Don Mattingly said that he hopes to ease Kemp into action in the later innings today and that Kemp would likely start on Saturday. Mike Baxter has been optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque.
The Dodgers have brought out the same starting eight position players in the same batting order for the fourth consecutive game, the first time the team has done this since they put out this group for five consecutive games, from May 12-16, 2009:
Juan Pierre, LF
Rafael Furcal, SS
Orlando Hudson, 2B
Andre Ethier, RF
Russell Martin, C
James Loney, 1B
Matt Kemp, CF
Casey Blake, 3B
In other notes, Hyun-Jin Ryu will “join Van Lingle Mungo (1937) and Don Drysdale (1965) as the only Dodgers pitchers to start in three of the first six games since 1914,” according to Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A.
Update: Matt Kemp will start and bat second after all, playing center field in place of Yasiel Puig, who was scratched after showing up late today. Andre Ethier will play right field.
By Jon Weisman
Turnabout is fair play. Today, the other MLB teams get their turn, and we watch.
As far as the National League West goes, 1993 expansion partners Colorado and Miami (nee Florida) play at 4:05 p.m., with San Francisco at Arizona at 6:40 p.m.
Meanwhile, in the Dodgers’ world …
By Jon Weisman
Two innings away from a 3-0 start to the season, the Dodgers didn’t even get to the bottom of the ninth Sunday, surrendering Hyun-Jin Ryu’s impressive outing in a 3-1 loss to San Diego.
Brian Wilson shouldered the blame. The reliever, who allowed only one run with the Dodgers last year, matched that when he allowed a game-tying homer to pinch-hitter Seth Smith. Overall, Wilson gave up three in the bottom of the eighth — two earned, one unearned as the result of his own error.
“It’s a hard one to swallow,” Wilson said, via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. “I wasn’t able to get ahead of the hitters and make the proper pitches. I’m not particularly used to having one of those nights. I just wasn’t able to get ahead, and they took advantage.”
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Denis Poroy/Getty Images
By Jon Weisman
Last year, Clayton Kershaw went 19 innings before allowing his first run of the 2013 season. Hyun-Jin Ryu is approaching that neighborhood.
You can start the early campaign: Hyun for Cy Young.
Before Brian Wilson allowed three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning in the Dodgers’ 3-1 loss to the Padres (recapped here by Ken Gurnick of MLB.com), Ryu followed up his five shutout innings in Sydney with seven in Sydniego. It was a performance that quickly went from struggling to sterling, putting to rest any post-Australia concerns about toeture.
Struggling with location in the first inning against the Padres, particularly on outside pitches, Ryu loaded the bases with one out on a single and two walks. But the lefty turned Yonder Alonso’s comebacker into a 1-2-3 inning-ending double play.
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After allowing singles to the first two batters in the bottom of the second inning, Ryu went into high gear. He retired 16 batters in a row into the seventh inning, walked Tommy Medica, then drew his second double play, a 3-6-3 special off the bat of Will Venable.
Despite throwing 21 pitches in the first inning, Ryu finished with only 88, meaning he averaged 11.2 pitches over the final six innings. Staked with only the one run the Dodgers got in the fifth inning off Padres starter Andrew Cashner, he needed to be that good.
In his 12 innings this season, Ryu has allowed only five hits while walking four and striking out 12. According to Baseball-Reference.com, Ryu is the eighth pitcher in Dodger history and fifth in Los Angeles to pitch at least 12 innings of shutout ball in his first two starts of the year.
Having left his infielders with almost nothing to do in the Australia start, Ryu instead starved his outfielders tonight. Yasiel Puig caught two flies, Carl Crawford one and Andre Ethier none.
By Jon Weisman
While Matt Kemp could be activated in time for the Dodgers’ home opener April 4, it’s not clear when Hyun-Jin Ryu will next pitch.
Ryu injured his right Captain of the Toes on the play pictured above, making a sudden stop at third base on Dee Gordon’s double. As Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports, Ryu would slot in for the third game of the San Diego series April 2 (after Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke), but that start could go to Dan Haren or Paul Maholm.
Kemp, meanwhile, has had no setbacks, Gurnick reports, and is playing six innings a game now in minor-league affairs. The Dodgers just want to make sure he’s completely confident before activating him.
More from Gurnick:
The Dodgers will play a simulated game at Dodger Stadium, on Wednesday. Mattingly said it will last four or five innings, and it is mostly being held to keep the relievers sharp. He said his regulars will average three or four at-bats in the first two Freeway Series games Thursday and Friday, but they will back off in Saturday night’s game because the season resumes Sunday night in San Diego.
Elsewhere …
- A.J. Ellis is working on pitch framing, he explains in an interview with Mike Petriello for Fangraphs.
- At Blue Heaven, Ernest Reyes has this discovery about long-ago Dodger reliever Ron Perranoski:”If Ron Perranoski were not a newspaper reader, he might have taken weeks to find out that the Cubs had dealt him to the Dodgers. He was in the army then, and read about it in the sports page. Nobody had told him.”
- Reggie Smith hung a “Gone Fishin'” sign just before a 1980 MLB labor stoppage was averted — see it at the Times’ Framework blog.
- Former Dodger reliever Matt Guerrier has had an interesting transactional week, as MLB Trade Rumors notes.
- Former Dodger infielder Jamey Carroll was released by Washington.
By Jon Weisman
When shortstop Hanley Ramirez ended the fifth inning of the second game between the Dodgers and Diamondbacks by starting a 6-3 double play, it stopped something of a bizarre streak for the Dodger infield.
To that point, neither Ramirez, second baseman Dee Gordon or third baseman Juan Uribe had a putout or an assist behind starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu.
Ryu doesn’t exactly specialize in inducing wormkiller after wormkiller, but the second-year lefty from Korea did have a groundball percentage of 50.6 last year, according to Fangraphs. This game was something different.
Through three innings, the only grounder off Ryu was a first-inning single by Paul Goldschmidt, and the only ball a Dodger infielder touched was a line drive by Miguel Montero that was caught by Adrian Gonzalez. Ryu had three strikeouts and five outfield putouts.
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In the fourth, it really started to seem like Gordon, Ramirez and Uribe had made some kind of weird pact. Goldschmidt hit a line drive that Gordon allowed to go off his glove for an error. Then, after Ryu struck out Martin Prado, Ramirez fielded what should have been an inning-ending double-play ball, but didn’t throw to Gordon coming across and didn’t step on second base in time to even get one out.
Forced essentially to retire five batters in the inning, Ryu got Trumbo to fly out to a running Yasiel Puig, then struck out Gerardo Parra.
Finally, in the fifth, the Australian tide turned. After Didi Gregorious’ drive to Andre Ethier for the Dodgers’ seventh outfield putout, Ryu had a rare lapse in control, walking Arizona reliever Josh Collmenter on nine pitches. Then A.J. Pollock hit it on the ground to Ramirez, who broke ranks and made the double play happen.
The extra work that Ryu had to do in the fourth and the fifth might have forced him out of the game an inning early. Ryu finished his first outing of 2014 throwing 87 pitches, allowing only two hits and the walk while striking out five — and also singling to lead off the top of the third for good measure. The Dodgers led, 6-0, when Ryu’s day ended.
Behind Chris Withrow in the bottom of the sixth, Ramirez then started all three outs, beginning another 6-3 double play with runners on first and second and none out, and then ending things with a 6-3 assist on Montero.
Uribe, meanwhile, still waited for some action, any action at all, at third base.
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Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks, 7 p.m.
Dee Gordon, 2B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, CF
A.J. Ellis, C
Mike Baxter, LF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Hyun-Jin Ryu, P
Dee Gordon, 2B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, CF
A.J. Ellis, C
Mike Baxter, LF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Hyun-Jin Ryu, P
By Jon Weisman
No, I don’t imagine many Dodger games have started on one date in Los Angeles and another at the ballpark.
Matchups against right-hander Trevor Cahill of Arizona for tonight/tomorrow’s second game of 2014 move Dee Gordon and Mike Baxter into the Dodger lineup in place of Opening Day starters Justin Turner and Game 1 star Scott Van Slyke, who combined for four of the Dodgers’ eight times on base.
Cahill is 6-0 with a 2.01 ERA in his career against the Dodgers, notes J.P. Hoornstra of the Daily News. Last year, Cahill allowed the Dodgers four earned runs in 25 2/3 innings, despite striking out only 12. Los Angeles hit one home run against him.
The next time the Dodgers face a righty hurler, against the Padres in a little more than a week, expect Carl Crawford in the lineup. The anticipated birth of his son, Carl Leo Crawford, came this morning, and we send our sincere congratulations.
I have EXCITING NEWS! Thank you God for my blessing! Read here —-> http://t.co/7WfNcyNoy8
— Evelyn Lozada (@EvelynLozada) March 22, 2014
- Here’s
Opening Day through the lens of Jon SooHoo. - Kenley Jansen’s cutter is “emasculating,” as Carson Cistulli of Fangraphs illustrates in this post.
- Brian Wilson lowered his Dodger ERA to 0.61 with his scoreless inning in the first game of the season.
- From the Dodger press notes: Half of Van Slyke’s 42 career hits have gone for extra bases (11 doubles, 10 home runs).
- Zack Greinke had a fine outing in Arizona today, writes Steve Dilbeck of the Times: five innings, one run (a solo homer), three hits, no walks, eight strikeouts.
- Though the Dodgers are again the road team in Game 2, they are taken advantage of an opportunity to wear their white jerseys.
- Hoonstra on the fans at Opening Day: “The crowd was not anti-Dodgers, as some predicted. It was mostly neutral, with plenty of cheers for the Dodgers and very few boos. It’s hard to comment on the D-Backs’ rooting contingent since they had little to root for.”
- Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports explains why the Opening Day experience was “delightful.”
- More on the fans from Doug Miller of MLB.com.
- Hyun-Jin Ryu told Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles that it is his “personal wish” for Major League Baseball to open a season in Korea.
- “Ryu was 5-for-10 (.500) with a double, a triple and a walk at the plate against the Diamondbacks in 2013, and 7-for-48 (.146) with two doubles and a walk against everyone else,” writes Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A.
- Recent Dodger utilityman Skip Schumacher will be out about a month with a dislocated shoulder, according to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com.
- Recent Dodger reliever (and Australia native) Peter Moylan is potentially facing a second Tommy John surgery.
- Someone’s having a nice experience with Vin Scully in Australia, as Sons of Steve Garvey notes.
- An update below on Van Slyke’s pursuit of history …
The triple crown bid begins for @ScottVanSlick. #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/0wWEj8cCVv
— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) March 22, 2014
“It’s almost time for Dodger baseball” – Vin Scully #ineedmydodgers #dodgers http://t.co/ESv0QjYG3R pic.twitter.com/dhsIVnGGWf
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) February 5, 2014
By Jon Weisman
Links for a Thursday …
- Ken Gurnick has a Spring Training preview for the Dodgers at MLB.com.
- While Gurnick looks ahead to the 2014 Dodgers, Lyle Spencer of MLB.com looks back at the 1963 Dodgers. “Managed by Walter Alston, the Dodgers overcame a sluggish start to win the National League pennant and surgically sweep the vaunted New York Yankees in a stunning World Series,” Spencer writes. “They did it with a predominantly black lineup, the first time that had happened.”
- Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com explores the possibility of Hyun-Jin Ryu having a sophomore slump, a topic that Chad Moriyama takes up at Dodgers Digest.
- Is the most iconic moment in Dodger history the Kirk Gibson home run? The Sporting News thinks so, and the only argument that I can really think of would involve Jackie Robinson.
- Robinson expresses his views on why baseball is popular in this letter, available on auction and discussed by Ernest Reyes at Blue Heaven.
- The Derrel Thomas Foundation is presenting the second annual Positive Image Awards at a dinner February 20. Roberto Baly at Vin Scully Is My Homeboy has more.
- Remember Koyie Hill? The one-time Dodger farmhand, a decade removed from the franchise, is still kicking and signed a minor-league contract with Washington. Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors has details.
- Joe Sheehan imagines what baseball would be like with a one-game World Series that resembles the Super Bowl and doesn’t like what he sees.
- You shouldn’t take recovery from Tommy John surgery for granted, writes Jeff Sullivan for Fangraphs — providing several examples of why.
- This Parks and Recreation-Dodgers mashup from @akaTheConman appeals to two of my great loves.
By Jon Weisman
Thanks to all the fans who came out today for FanFest.
- Ned Colletti, Vin Scully and Don Mattingly are featured in Ken Gurnick’s FanFest roundup for MLB.com. Here’s perhaps the most memorable quote from Colletti, who as Gurnick writes, “credited the club’s brawl with the Arizona Diamondbacks as a key to the team’s midseason turnaround after beanings of Yasiel Puig and Zack Greinke.”
“Our guys took the field and went after them,” Colletti said. “As much as I don’t condone that, it kind of galvanized our club and got us together and brought friendship in the room and we got closer. In a bizarre way, it was a defining moment for the building of inside the room.”
- Even as FanFest was taking place, there was also the second annual Community Day at the MLB Urban Youth Academy in Compton. Yasiel Puig was among those visiting, writes Earl Bloom for MLB.com.
- Hyun-Jin Ryu getting into shape is the subject of two short pieces (here and here) by the Daily News’ J.P. Hoornstra, who also passes along this update about Dodger Stadium wi-fi and about the Union Rescue Mission learning center being named for Andre and Maggie Ethier. Nicely done, Ethiers.
- An update from Kershaw’s Challenge: “After discussing our plans to renovate and add on to Destiny Community School in Lusaka, Zambia, we have solidified our plans and will begin construction soon.”
- The last batch of Dodger Pitching in the Community Caravan photos, from Friday’s fifth day, can be found at the Dodger Photog Blog, thanks to Juan Ocampo.
- Ex-Dodger pitcher Chris Capuano is a potential free agent bargain for some team, writes Jeff Sullivan at Fangraphs.
- Sixteen-year NBA vet Tracy McGrady is looking to make a switch to pitching, at least on some level. D.J. Short at Hardball Talk rounds up the basic info.
- More than half of the teams in the majors are planning to platoon or divide up playing time with at least one position, writes Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com.
