Hyun-jin Ryu sidelined with back tightness

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Dodgers pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu went home early on Wednesday, sidelined with mid-back tightness. The Dodgers held him out of team workouts as a precaution.

"As the day ended yesterday he had some mid-back tightness, so we'll be cautious with him," manager Don Mattingly said. "You won't see him on the field. We don't expect this to be anything major."

The left-hander threw his second bullpen session of Dodgers camp on Tuesday and was otherwise pleased with his outing.

"My change-up was pretty decent, I'm happy with that," Ryu said. "As far as my fastball goes, there were quite a lot of balls."

Ryu on his way out on Wednesday told Korean reporters that he expected to be back on the field for workouts on Thursday.

Ryu came to Arizona early this season, and worked out with the LG Twins of the KBO at Camelback Ranch. He threw four bullpen sessions prior to reporting to Dodgers camp, with a stated goal of pitching 200 innings in 2015.

After pitching 192 innings in his rookie campaign in 2013, Ryu was sidelined by shoulder inflammation and a strained buttocks muscle in 2014, finishing with 152 innings. But while on the mound Ryu has been excellent, going 28-15 with a 3.17 ERA and a 2.97 FIP that ranks 10th in baseball among pitchers with at least 300 innings in 2013-2014 combined.

"He was better last year than his first year. We expect him to get even better this year. This guy's really, really good," Mattingly said on Sunday. "I know he doesn't get the credit, people don't talk about him as much, but he's one of the best pitchers in baseball."