Dodgers could rest Cy Young favorite Ryu down stretch
Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu is putting together the best season of his career, and he's the leading contender for the National League Cy Young Award.
The Dodgers are considering skipping the southpaw's turn in the rotation, extending the length of time between starts, or shortening his outings down the stretch to preserve Ryu's arm, though nothing is set.
"I'll have that conversation with Hyun-Jin," manager Dave Roberts said, according to Alden Gonzalez of ESPN. "And we'll see what's best for him."
The first-time All-Star in 2019 has posted a 12-4 record with a major-league-leading 2.00 ERA, and a 0.98 WHIP over 24 starts. He's also thrown 152 innings, matching his output from 2014 - the season before he underwent Tommy John surgery - and his workload isn't far off from the 192 innings he accumulated in his 2013 rookie campaign. He totaled 213 2/3 innings from 2016 through 2018.
In Ryu's most recent outing, he matched a season-high Saturday with seven earned runs over 4 1/3 innings against the New York Yankees.
Still, despite rising concern about his durability and strength entering the postseason, Ryu maintains that he feels good and healthy.
"I don't feel any fatigue at the moment," he said through a translator. "Our team does a great job of giving me extra days of rest, so I actually feel fresh."
The 32-year-old is currently slated to make his next start against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Aug. 29.