GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Dodgers pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu received an anti-inflammatory injection in his left shoulder and will not throw for three days, the team announced on Friday morning.
Ryu felt soreness in his shoulder on Wednesday, the day after his second Cactus League start. Ryu missed over three weeks on two different occasions in 2014 with left shoulder inflammation. After meeting with team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache, Ryu got the injection in his shoulder.
He won't make his scheduled Sunday start, and he will be reevaluated after that to determine the next step.
After pitching 192 innings and 152 innings in his first two major league seasons, Ryu expressed a goal of pitching 200 innings in 2015, and showed up to camp in better shape than his last two years, and pitched four bullpen sessions before Dodgers camp even began. But despite his efforts, Ryu has had his most interrupted spring yet.
Ryu was already a tad behind schedule, sidelined earlier in camp with back spasms that caused him to miss the first time through the rotation in Cactus League play. But he told reporters Friday morning he did not expect this injury to affect his opening week readiness.
Ryu said he did not get MRI for sore shoulder. Still expects to be ready for opening week.
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) March 20, 2015
#Dodgers Hyun-Jin Ryu said he felt fine during his start Tues. Soreness the next morning. A4 on scale of 10. Said last years issue worse.
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) March 20, 2015
Ryu slots in third in the Dodgers rotation behind Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke, but with an off day after their opening series the team could maneuver the rotation such that a fifth starter — assuming the other four are healthy, of course — would not be needed until April 14, the eighth game of the season, and six days after what would otherwise be Ryu's first start.