Dodgers' Ryu Hyun-jin roughed up in minor league rehab start

Published : Jun 24, 2016 - 13:08 Updated : Jun 24, 2016 - 14:36

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers got roughed up in his latest minor league rehab start.

Pitching for Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers against the Round Rock Express, the left-hander was touched for eight runs -- five earned -- on 10 hits in four innings in Oklahoma City on Thursday (local time). The Korean also allowed two home runs while striking out four.

(Yonhap)

Ryu underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his pitching shoulder in May last year and missed the entire 2015 season. This was his sixth minor league rehab appearance. Ryu threw 77 pitches against the Express, the highest total during his recovery. In the top of the first at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, Ryu worked around a one-out double with back-to-back strikeouts.

He retired the side in order in the second, but gave up a two-run home run to Delino DeShields in the third. Joey Gallo took Ryu deep for a solo shot in the next frame. It was one of six hits Ryu allowed in the three-run fourth. Mike Bolsinger relieved Ryu in the fifth, with the Dodgers trailing 8-5. The Dodgers fell 9-6, and Ryu was the losing pitcher.

Ryu has had some setbacks during his rehab, and it's not yet clear when he'll return to the majors. In six minor league appearances, Ryu has a 3.15 ERA in 20 innings. The first player to jump from the Korea Baseball Organization to the majors via posting, Ryu won 14 games in each of the
2013 and 2014 seasons.

He signed a six-year, $36 million deal before the 2013 season. He can opt out in 2017 if he pitches 750 innings combined from 2013 to 2017. He's sitting at 344 innings. (Yonhap)