Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin (36) is virtually confirmed to return to the Major League Baseball.

MLB.com, the official site of Major League Baseball, reported on March 23 (KST), “Ryu’s rehab start on March 22 at Triple-A Minor League Baseball went very well. It could be his final start before he returns to the majors.”토토사이트

Ryu, who is 75-45 with a 3.27 ERA in 175 career major league games (1003⅓ innings), signed a four-year, $80 million contract with Toronto for the 2020 season after a successful career with the Dodgers.

His first two years in Toronto were good. He finished third in American League Cy Young Award voting in 2020 and won 14 games in 2021. Last season, however, he struggled, going 2-2 with a 5.67 ERA in six starts (27 innings) and eventually underwent Tommy John surgery last June, which put him out for the season.

Dedicated to recovering from the surgery, Ryu has yet to pitch a game in the major leagues. However, in his minor league rehabilitation, he went 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA in four games (18 innings), raising expectations.

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays. /OSEN DB

In particular, his start on April 22 showed that he was ready to return to the major leagues. He lasted six innings, throwing 85 pitches, and his fastball was up to 90.8 mph (146.1 km/h). His average velocity was 88.4 mph (142.3 km/h). His primary weapon, a changeup, induced seven swings and misses out of 15 swings, proving that he is ready to face hitters.

MLB.com reports, “Ryu will head to Los Angeles to join the team on May 25. There is no guarantee that Ryu will make the major league roster. The team wants to see him in person before making any future plans. Thirteen months after his surgery, Ryu is officially on the threshold of returning to the major leagues.”

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays. /OSEN DB

Toronto has yet to announce a schedule for Ryu’s return. He’ll join the team in Los Angeles for a series against his hometown Dodgers. However, given the rest day and game schedule, it’s likely that he’ll make his return in a three-game series against the Angels at Rogers Centre starting on the 29th.

In three years with Toronto, Ryu went 21-12 with a 4.07 ERA in 49 games (263 innings). That’s not good enough considering the size of his four-year, $80 million contract. Ryu is in the final year of his contract with Toronto. Fans are eager to see what Ryu can do for the rest of the season after returning from injury.