GLENDALE, Ariz. — Hyun-Jin Ryu won’t throw for three days, the Dodgers announced Friday, two days after the pitcher received an inflammation-reducing injection in his left shoulder.
Now, it appears likely he will begin the season on the 15-day disabled list.
Ryu reported feeling tightness in his left shoulder Wednesday, one day after he threw three innings against the Texas Rangers and allowed three runs. After consulting with team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache, Ryu elected to have the injection.
Ryu, who turns 28 on Wednesday, had been scheduled to start Sunday against the Cleveland Indians.
“I am frustrated,” Ryu said through an interpreter Friday at Camelback Ranch. “For this year, I put in a lot of preparation. I’m just going to have to start all over. I’m a little frustrated I got stopped right now.”
The pitcher said this injury is not as severe as the inflammation that sent him to the disabled list for three weeks early last season. Ryu said “the main thing” he did over the winter was a shoulder program designed to prevent just this type of injury.
Still, he doesn’t believe it will set him back for the start of the regular season.
“I was shut down after the injection for three days, so this should give me plenty of time,” Ryu said.
Dodgers manager Don Mattingly wasn’t as optimistic. The Dodgers don’t necessarily need a fifth starter until April 15 against the Seattle Mariners, their ninth game of the regular season.
“Then, if we even wanted to play longer and go spot starter there, we can still go almost to the 23rd, 24th, another 10 days,” Mattingly said. “Timing-wise, it’s pretty good for us.”
In theory, Ryu could begin the season on the disabled list and miss only one start. Mattingly wouldn’t commit to that plan Friday, but said “I think that’d be pretty safe assumption, that this is going to set him back and we’re definitely going to be cautious going into a long season.”
Left-hander David Huff will “probably” start Sunday’s game, Mattingly said. Huff was scheduled to pitch in relief of Chad Gaudin tomorrow. His wife delivered a baby Thursday in the Phoenix area, so Huff probably won’t mind the extra day off.
The Dodgers don’t play Tuesday. Mattingly said that he’ll use that as a day off for his starting pitchers.