RYU HYUN-JIN, FIRST LIVE PITCHING SINCE RETURNING TO HANWHA... "NO PROBLEM WITH PITCHING IN THE OPENING GAME"

Ryu Hyun-jin (36, Hanwha Eagles) made his first live pitching this year and cleared one hurdle to start the opening game of the 2024 Korean Professional Baseball KBO League.

On the 2nd, Ryu Hyun-jin stood up as a batter and threw 65 balls at Yaese Gotinda Stadium in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan.

The Hanwha team said, “Ryu Hyun-jin threw a mix of fastballs, curves, cut fastballs, sliders, and changeups. 카지노사이트

The highest speed of the fastball was 139 km/h.”

After completing live pitching, Ryu Hyun-jin said in an interview broadcast live on YouTube by Yonhap News TV, "There is no problem with pitching in the opening game.

I threw 65 balls today, so I just need to increase the number of pitches in evaluation games and exhibition games."

Originally, Ryu Hyun-jin was scheduled to do live pitching on the 1st, but it was canceled due to rain at Gonda Stadium.

If live pitching was not performed on the 2nd, the reverse schedule for the opening game could be disrupted.

Ryu Hyun-jin emphasized, “Although we were pushed back by a day, we can prepare for the opening game without a hitch by pitching live today.”

Ryu Hyun-jin, who returned to Hanwha after 11 years in the American professional baseball big league, started bullpen pitching (45) as soon as he joined the Okinawa camp on the 23rd of last month, and increased the number of pitches to 60 on the 26th.

Ryu Hyun-jin further enhanced his practical sense through live pitching on this day.

Hanwha's starting catcher Choi Jae-hoon first received Ryu Hyun-jin's ball, and Ryu Hyun-jin faced four Hanwha junior batters.

While pitching, Ryu Hyun-jin threw a ball that hit Sang-hyuk Lee. After being surprised, Ryu Hyun-jin expressed his apologies by saying, "I will buy you food," when Sang-hyuk Lee gave him a sign saying, "It's okay."

He said with relief, "I'm glad my junior didn't get hurt," and repeatedly apologized to Lee Sang-hyeok, saying, "I don't often allow balls that hit the body, but today I was throwing a ball toward the body and hit the batter's body.

Is the food the problem?"

Hanwha returns home after completing spring camp on the 4th.

The exhibition game will be held starting on the 9th, and Ryu Hyun-jin plans to play once in the Blue and White match before the exhibition game, then pitch twice in the exhibition game, and prepare to pitch in the regular season opening game against the LG Twins to be held at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 23rd.

Ryu Hyun-jin said, “I joined spring camp late, but I did bullpen pitching before that. In the major leagues, I increased the number of pitches by participating in exhibition games, but in Korea, there are not many exhibition games, so I have to increase the number of pitches through other methods.

“If you look at the number of pitches in early March, they have risen to a similar level as when pitching in the United States,” he said.

After playing in the KBO League for seven years, Ryu Hyun-jin went straight to the big league through posting (private competitive bidding).

Over the course of 11 years from 2013 to 2023, Ryu Hyun-jin pitched in 186 games in the major league, posting 78 wins, 48 ​​losses, 1 save, and an ERA of 3.27.

He also achieved brilliant milestones, such as becoming the first Asian to rank first in ERA across MLB (2019) and the first Korean to start the All-Star Game (2019).

In the 'era of fastballs', Ryu Hyun-jin received attention as a top starting pitcher even though his fastball velocity was below the MLB average.

This is why there is no need to worry about Ryu Hyun-jin's pitch even though the maximum speed of the fastball did not exceed 140 km per hour during live pitching on this day.

Ryu Hyun-jin, who achieved 98 wins (52 losses, 1 save) on the mound in Korea, will begin adding wins in the KBO League starting from the opening game in 2024.

‘The best Korean pitcher of the 21st century’ Ryu Hyun-jin is expected to be the KBO League’s highest-grossing card throughout this season.