LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hyun-Jin Ryu’s rust showed in his return to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ rotation after 640 days away dealing with surgery and injuries.
The South Korean left-hander lost 6-0 to the San Diego Padres in his season debut Thursday night, allowing six runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked two, with his velocity dipping to about 86 mph as the game went on.
At the start, Ryu was throwing in the 89-91 mph range.
“The biggest part was getting him out there and it was a victory in itself,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Up until the fifth inning where he ran out of gas and velocity started to slip, I thought he threw the ball well.”
Another test is Friday when the Dodgers find out how Ryu came out of his first major league start since Sept. 12, 2014. He had shoulder surgery the following May, causing him to miss all last season.
“Overall, I felt really great,” Ryu said through a translator. “My shoulder felt really great. I didn’t see any issues.”
Ryu (0-1) was reinstated earlier Thursday from the 60-day disabled list. His struggles extended an unwelcome streak for Dodgers starters, with none of them going seven innings since May 14 except for now-injured ace Clayton Kershaw.
Still, Ryu adds another piece to the Dodgers’ tattered rotation, with Brandon McCarty recently returned and Brett Anderson expected to follow after the All-Star break.
“We have so much quality depth in our rotation,” Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis said. “We’ll see Hyun-Jin of 2013-14 really soon. He’s going to be a huge weapon for us in the second half.”
Drew Pomeranz has been big for the Padres in the first half of the season. He tossed two-hit ball over seven innings and Melvin Upton Jr. homered leading off the game.
Pomeranz (8-7) struck out six and walked two in his third straight start of seven innings with one run or less. The left-hander has 26 strikeouts in his last 27 innings.
Rookie All-Star Corey Seager of the Dodgers went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts, ending his 19-game hitting streak, which was the longest in the National League this season.
Alexei Ramirez’s RBI double extended the Padres’ lead to 3-0 in the fourth. They tacked on three runs with two outs in the fifth on Yangervis Solarte’s RBI double and Alex Dickerson’s first career triple to deep right. Yasiel Puig misplayed the ball, which went over his head, and then he missed the cutoff man, making it 6-0 and chasing Ryu.
“He misplayed it a little bit,” Roberts said. “Could he have made the play? Yes. Is it an easy play? No, it’s not.”
HIT IT HERE
Seager has a tall task in the first round of the Home Run Derby during All-Star festivities next week. The rookie takes on Baltimore’s Mark Trumbo, the top seed and current major league leader with 26 homers. Seager ranks second among major league rookies with 17 homers. He’s flying his family from North Carolina to San Diego to watch.
“He’s going to be nervous and there are some guys who get shut out,” Roberts said. “There’s a lot of pressure. You’re kind of like a man on an island out there.”
DODGERS MOVES
Los Angeles recalled RHP Carlos Frias from Triple-A Oklahoma City for his second stint on the active roster this season. He was recalled June 19-21 but didn’t appear in a game. The reliever pitched last Sunday for OKC against Nashville, allowing one run and one hit in 1 2/3 innings for his third win of the season. … They designated OF Will Venable for assignment and will send LHP Luis Avilan to OKC.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: RHP Tyson Ross (shoulder inflammation) had a rehab bullpen session pushed back after twisting an ankle while in his room exercising Wednesday. An X-ray was negative. He is resting the ankle and expected to throw in the next few days. … 2B Cory Spangenberg (hamstring) and 2B Jemile Weeks (hamstring) are progressing in their rehab in Arizona and expected to begin playing minor league rehab games by the middle of next week.
UP NEXT
Padres: RHP Andrew Cashner (3-6, 4.42 ERA) makes his second start since being reinstated from the DL.
Dodgers: LHP Scott Kazmir (7-3, 4.37) is 1-0 with a 4.37 ERA in four career starts against the Padres while limiting them to a .217 average.
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