X-rays on Hyun Jin Ryu‘s right knee came back negative but the Toronto Blue Jays are unsure if he will be available for his next turn in the rotation, general manager Ross Atkins said.
Ryu was injured when he was struck in the leg by a comebacker in the fourth inning of Monday’s win over the Guardians. Ryu was able to retrieve the ball and pass it to first baseman Vladimir Guerrrero Jr. for the third out, but then fell to the ground in pain and had to be helped off the field. The Blue Jays later said he had suffered a right knee contusion.
“The x-rays were negative, fortunately, but he got hit in a very sensitive area so we really won’t know until today when he gets some weight on it,” Atkins said on MLB Network’s High Heat. “Expect it not to be too serious, certainly hopeful that’s the case.”
Ryu had allowed no hits and just one walk in his four innings of work before the injury. He was making just his second start of the season after a 14-month recovery from Tommy John surgery. Ryu’s next scheduled start is Sunday afternoon against the Cubs.
Romano throws bullpen
Closer Jordan Romano threw “an aggressive bullpen” session on Monday and could re-join the Blue Jays soon, Atkins said.
“Great day for him yesterday, he was pain-free, didn’t feel any symptoms,” the GM said. “Really encouraged by those steps and I think as he just gets built back up here, it will be a matter of days certainly.”
The all-star right-hander was placed on the 15-day injured list with lower back inflammation on July 29. Romano is third in the American League with 28 saves and has a 2.79 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 42.0 innings pitched this season.
Blue Jays being cautious with Bichette
Like Romano, Atkins said shortstop Bo Bichette had a “great day” on Monday. But the GM stressed that the Blue Jays are taking a cautious approach in working their best hitter back into the lineup.
“He was moving around with very few symptoms, almost none at all,” Atkins said. “We’re obviously going to progress him cautiously and be careful with how we’re loading that knee. But he had a really, really encouraging day where he felt much better yesterday so I think we’re still day-to-day as we progress out of this.”
Bichette injured his right knee running the bases in a July 31 game against the Orioles but an MRI revealed no significant structural damage, just some inflammation. Manager John Schneider said those test results were “the best possible outcome” but the Blue Jays still moved Bichette to the injured list and acquired Paul DeJong at the trade deadline for extra depth at shortstop.
Before his injury, Bichette led the American League with a .321 batting average. He had only missed five games since the start of the 2021 campaign before this stint on the injured list.