Ryu Hyun-jin of Toronto Blue Jays Exits Game Early with Sore Arm

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays left the mound after just four innings against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday, due to tightness in his left forearm. Ryu only recently returned to the team's starting lineup after being sidelined due to a similar injury.

Ryu reached 1,000 career innings pitched in the majors in the first inning of the game, becoming the second Korean pitcher to reach the milestone following former Los Angeles Dodgers starter Park Chan-ho.

In the home game, the left-hander threw 58 pitches over four innings, allowing four hits and three runs, two earned. The Blue Jays won the game 7-3.

Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said after the game that Ryu left the mound because he felt tightness in his pitching forearm. "It's kind of the same thing he had last time -- his foreman got tight." He will undergo imaging on his arm to determine the seriousness of the injury.

Ryu was placed on the 10-day injured list on April 17 after being diagnosed with an inflamed elbow. He returned to the mound in mid-May but was taken out again after throwing only 65 pitches due to pain in his elbow in a game last week.

Ryu rejoined the team's starting rotation early this week after training successfully and took the mound in the team's match on Wednesday, saying he no longer felt any discomfort in his pitching arm. But he had to leave the mound again before he was able to earn a win.

And it seems he does not attach any significance to the 1,000-inning milestone in the major leagues. "I don't think it is a great achievement considering the years I've played," he said.