Ryu Hyun-jin pitches in a real game after 13 months... Takes to the rookie league for 3 innings and 1 run allowed

Ryu Hyun-jin (36 | Toronto | photo) received a passing grade in his first game in 398 days. Local media put out a positive forecast that he would "return by the end of this month". Ryu pitched as the starter against FCL Tigers (under Detroit) in a rookie league game at the team's spring camp in Dunedin, Florida on the 5th (Korean time), recording 5 strikeouts without any walks in 3 innings and allowing 1 run (4 hits). He is expected to increase his pitch count in higher-level minor league games after completing the rehab game without any problems. 

Ryu Hyun-jin, who took to the mound as a member of the FCL Blue Jays under Toronto, allowed back-to-back doubles after two outs in the first inning, giving up a run. He ended the inning by striking out the following batter on a swing and a miss. In the second inning, he allowed a double to the leadoff batter but caught all the three following batters with ground balls. In the third inning, after consecutive strikeouts, he allowed a single to center field but caught the following batter on a swing and a miss and stepped down from the mound. 

The last time Ryu Hyun-jin pitched in a real game was about 13 months ago, on June 2nd of last year in a home game against the Chicago White Sox. After the game, MLB.com expressed optimism saying, "Ryu Hyun-jin has set himself on track to return within this month by throwing three innings in the rehab game." It also reported, "He threw a total of 42 balls, with a fastball velocity of 87-88 mph (about 140-142 km/h). He is just 2-3 mph (3-5 km/h) away from his normal speed." CBS Sports also suggested, "If he finishes his preparations, he could join the MLB starting rotation within this month," while the 'Toronto Sun' anticipated, "If things go as they are, he could return to the big leagues by the end of this month. He will be a great asset to the Toronto mound."

Meanwhile, Kim Ha-seong (San Diego) hit a single in his first face-off with Shohei Ohtani (LA Angels). Kim Ha-seong started as the first second baseman in a home game against the LA Angels at Petco Park in San Diego, California, contributing to an 8-5 victory by recording 1 hit and 1 steal in 4 at-bats. This was the first time Kim Ha-seong, who advanced to the big leagues in 2021, stood in the batter's box against Ohtani. Kim Ha-seong, who grounded out in the bottom of the first inning and was caught out in a double play in the third, singled to left with no outs and a man on second in the fifth, when the team was leading 2-1, creating a no-out, men-on-first-and-third situation. After Ohtani stepped down from the mound in the seventh, Kim got on base by being hit by a pitch, succeeded in stealing (14th of the season), and scored on a following hit. He grounded out in the eighth inning.

He also shone on defense. In the top of the fourth with two outs and a man on first, he managed to get an out by swiftly picking up a ball that had bounced off the first baseman's glove and had fallen on the ground, and throwing it to first. In the top of the ninth with two outs and bases loaded, he ended the game by quickly running to catch a slowly and irregularly bouncing ball in front of second base and throwing it to first. MLB.com praised this play in a tweet saying, "How can he make such a play?"

On the other hand, Ohtani was struggling with 7 hits (2 home runs), 4 walks, and 5 runs allowed in 5 innings, suffering his fourth loss (7 wins) of the season. He also remained silent at bat with no hits in three at-bats.