It has been a little over a week since a forearm strain sent left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu to the 15-day injured list, and Ryu and the Blue Jays are still determining the next stage of rehab. Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith (Twitter link) writes that Ryu has met with noted specialist Dr. Neal ElAttrache, and is also going to seek out other opinions.
As with any forearm injury, there was immediate speculation that Ryu would require Tommy John surgery, and it isn’t yet known if such a major procedure is necessary. The fact that Ryu wasn’t immediately slated for TJ surgery is perhaps a positive sign that his forearm strain doesn’t involve any serious UCL damage, yet on the flip side, it is possible that a TJ procedure was the initial recommendation, and Ryu and the Jays are trying to find a second opinion that involves an alternative recovery treatment. It certainly seems like Ryu is in for a lengthy absence regardless, and if he does ultimately require Tommy John surgery, his tenure in Toronto could already be over. TJ rehab usually takes 12-15 months, and Ryu is only under contract through the end of the 2023 season.
More from the AL East…
- Chris Sale threw a bullpen session on Friday and is scheduled to throw a live batting practice session on Monday. Red Sox pitching coach Dave Bush told The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey and other reporters that Sale is roughly on the same pace as a pitcher just beginning Spring Training, so Sale would have roughly six weeks of work ahead before he is fully ramped up and ready to rejoin Boston’s rotation. However, Sale could potentially return sooner if he was used as a relief pitcher, and Bush said that “everything is on the table at this point” in terms of Sale’s potential role. “If it suits him and us for him to come back sooner and in fewer innings and we have a bullpen that’s capable of absorbing the extra innings, then maybe that’s an option,” Bush said.
- The Red Sox and Braves were among the teams who had interest in Matt Carpenter after the Rangers released the veteran infielder in May, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports. The Rangers didn’t have a role for Carpenter at the big league level, but his big numbers at the Triple-A level surely caught the attention of multiple teams wondering if the former All-Star had gotten back on track. Much to Boston’s particular chagrin, Carpenter ended up signing with the Yankees, and he has already delivered four homers and a 1.250 OPS over his first 25 plate appearances in the pinstripes.