Blue Jays name ace Ryu Opening Day starter
The Toronto Blue Jays announced ace Hyun Jin Ryu as their Opening Day starter on Friday, shortly after completing his final Grapefruit League outing.
Ryu will face the New York Yankees in the season opener at Yankee Stadium on April 1. It's the second straight year he'll get the ball on Opening Day.
Hyun-Jin Ryu said he was more nervous about last yr’s opening day start than any other postseason starts (incld WS starts) he has made in his career. Super excited to see how handles 2nd opening day start w/ #BlueJays. #MLB https://t.co/m11Dp7G8QC
— Daniel Kim 대니얼 김 (@DanielKimW) March 27, 2021
The 34-year-old southpaw had a stellar first season in Toronto last year, posting a 2.69 ERA, 3.01 FIP, and 1.15 WHIP with 72 strikeouts across 12 starts to help the team earn a surprising wild-card berth. For his efforts, Ryu finished third in AL Cy Young voting.
A decision hasn't been made on who'll follow Ryu in the rotation, manager Charlie Montoyo said, according to Sportsnet's Hazel Mae.