August 7th, 2017 at 6:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka After two long years, two major surgeries, several arduous rehab assignments and seemingly endless criticism, 30-year-old South Korean left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu is back. Not just adequately back, but full-blown 2013-2014 good back.
On Sunday night before a rather anemic Citi Field crowd of 27,077, the Dodgers once rock-star-like Incheon, South Korea native was but a harmless third inning single by Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud away from throwing a perfect seven innings while striking out eight. It was every bit reminiscent of the Hyun-Jin Ryu that dominated National League hitters for his first two extremely successful MLB seasons after the Dodgers signed the 6′-3″ / 250-pound left-hander to a then lofty (but now bargain-priced) six-year / $36 million contract that will take him through the 2018 season.
“Tonight, Hyun-Jin set the tone. From the first pitch to his 90th or whatever [96], he was very aggressive,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “We talk about having that conviction and attacking the strike zone, which he did with his entire mix. Outside of one hard-hit ball by d’Arnaud, a lot of soft contact.”
Dodger fans are once again feeling the buzz of excitement whenever Ryu takes the mound again, just like they did in 2013 and 2014. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
It is abundantly clear that Ryu is once again 100 percent healthy, something that he has not been for the past two seasons. In fact, during several of his numerous rehab starts, he was downright awful, with a fastball that was only slightly better than batting practice quality and with batting practice results.
“I feel like my command is the reason I’m having such success,” said Ryu, through an interpreter. “The last two starts, my fastball and off-speed pitches I’m able to command the way I want to. In terms of my velocity, it’s very respectable, so combining those two reasons, I’ve been having a good run.”
After his brilliant seven shutout / one-hit innings of work, Ryu was followed on the mound by Dodgers newcomer Tony Cingrani, who pitched a perfect eighth inning while striking out two of the three batters he faced. As Dodger fans know, the team acquired the 28-year-old Evergreen, Illinois native at last week’s July 31 trade deadline to be a bridge between Dodgers starting pitchers and All-Star closer Kenley Jansen, and Cingrani did exactly that.
The Dodgers now appear to have their much-needed bridge between their starters and closer Kenley Jansen in recently-acquired hard-throwing left-hander Tony Cingrani. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
As a surprise to no one – at least not to Dodger fans – the Dodgers continued to put up historic offensive numbers, with an combined 10 hits that included home runs by former Met Justin Turner and an absolutely crushed 447-footer to straightaway center field by Dodgers phenom and likely 2017 NL Rookie of the Year Cody Bellinger.
“That one felt good,” said Bellinger of his 32nd home run of the season.
Bellinger’s 32nd home run of the season on Sunday night moved him to within three of tying Hall of Famer Mike Piazza for the franchise record of 35 home runs by a Dodger rookie set in 1993. He also now trails Frank Robinson and Wally Berger’s all-time MLB rookie home run record of 38 by only six, with 51 games remaining.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
With the Dodgers now down to their final 51 games and a full 15.5 game lead over the Colorado Rockies and 16 over the Arizona Diamondbacks, Ryu couldn’t have picked a better time to return to the Hyun-Jin Ryu of 2013 and 2014, when he went a combined 28-15 with 293 strikeouts. In fact, in his last two starts, the good-natured South Korean left-hander hasn’t allowed a run while striking out 15 opposing batters.
Welcome back, Hyun-Jin. Welcome back indeed.
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“Hyun-Jin Ryu is back. Not just adequately back, but full-blown 2013-2014 good back.”
I tried to access a post I made in April but couldn’t. The gist was that, when most Dodger fans where giving up on Hyun-Jin, I posted that we’d see him at his 2013-2014 levels by his 16th start. Count ’em, this was start #16.
Welcome back, Hyun-Jin.
It’s great when the Dodgers make their annual visit (and sometimes in the postseason) to N.Y, especially when they’re playing like this. It’s good to see you, Ron and Fansince 85, whom I didn’t know lived so close by. It’s great being with TBW, Carl and the rest of that crew. Claudine had a ball, as usual.
GO DODGERS!!!!
Great to see Ryu pitching well when so many in ST were writing him off as “toast.” I think we are seeing a pitcher who has worked hard and with the help of Honeycutt has reinvented himself. It seems to me that Ryu is a different pitcher from his pre labrum surgery. Prior to labrum surgery he threw more than 50% fastballs, 20% change-ups, 15% sliders, and 13% curves. This season 38% fastballs, 15% cutters, 27% change-ups, only 3% sliders, and 17% curves (numbers rounded from Fangraphs). Very happy for the young man.
That breakdown could explain the time it took him to regain his skills. Looks like he had to learn a new way of pitching.
I always did believe he’d make it all the way back. It seems clear to me he tried to come back too soon last year.
So, now we have Hyun-Jin and Kenta coming to their best pitching of the year and the addition of Yu Darvish. When Clayton gets back we’ll have the best rotation we’ve had in two years.
The rich get richer.