The Toronto Blue Jays already were dealing with a thin rotation, to the point that Tuesday's starting pitcher is currently listed as "to be determined." Those issues have worsened on Sunday when ace Hyun-Jin Ryu left the game early with an injury. The Blue Jays announced it was a minor right glute strain. They haven't yet said if they believe he'll miss time or not.
Ryu worked 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing only three hits and a walk while striking out five. He threw 62 pitches. Given that he wasn't even remotely in trouble and his workload this season has been pitch counts in the 80s and 90s, the timing of the removal indicated an injury of some sort. Fortunately, it sounds like it's nothing serious.
Losing your No. 1 pitcher is always bad, but the timing here for the Jays is quite a gut punch even if this is a short-term thing. Fellow starters Nate Pearson and Ross Stripling are on the 10-day injured list while Tanner Roark is on the family medical emergency list. If Ryu is forced to hit the injured list, the Jays are left with two starters from their targeted season-opening rotation: Robbie Ray and Steven Matz.
Pearson is working his way back from a groin injury, but he's only up to two to three innings in intrasquad action at the alternate site. Stripling (forearm) was recently cleared to start throwing off the mound. Roark was shifted to the bullpen before taking his leave.
The Blue Jays have already used the "bullpen game" option and might have to do so again in the short run.
Back-end rotation issues have plagued the team here in the early going. Prior to Sunday, Blue Jays starters had posted a 4.04 ERA vs. a 2.24 bullpen ERA. That's with Ryu (3.00 ERA before Sunday), Matz (2.31) and Ray (2.81) posting good to great numbers.
