Left-handed pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu has been a big part of the Los Angeles Dodgers' success in each of the past two seasons. He has been a great number-three ace, but now he will be shut down for the entire 2015 season. MLB.com's Ken Gurnick reports that Ryu underwent season-ending surgery to fix a labrum injury in his left shoulder.
Ryu has not pitched at all this season; the last time he pitched was in 2014 when he compiled a record of 14-7 and an ERA of 3.38 while striking out 139 batters. That is a great season for a pitcher who has been pitching in the Majors for less than five seasons. He has the potential to become a great pitcher because he knows how to control his pitches. He knows how to throw strikes, and he knows how to go deep into games when his team needs him to.
Losing Ryu is going to be a big blow to the Dodgers. He has been a solid number three ever since coming into the league. Now that he is shut down for the season, the Dodgers will need someone who can take the pressure off star pitchers Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. It will be tough, but the Dodgers can live without Ryu if the other two star pitchers perform as well as they normally do.
The Dodgers are having a great season as of late. The offense is clicking, and the pitching is clicking as well. The Dodgers will most likely make the playoffs unless they have a big second half collapse, but that looks very unlikely. The first half of the season has been great, but the second half of the season is going to start before long. That is when we will see what the team is made of.