As of Tuesday, Toronto is 36-29 (.554), good for fourth place in the American League East. They’ve been on a roll in June, but they’ve struggled against some of the best teams in baseball since early May.

They don’t have a long losing streak, but then again, they don’t have a long winning streak either. The team just doesn’t have the cohesion to sustain a winning streak. The offense is up and down, but the starting pitching, which is essential for a long winning streak, is uneven. With the exception of ace Kevin Gausman, the pitching has been up and down from game to game.

While Gaussman and Chris Bassitt have been solid, and Jose Berrios has come alive as of late, Alec Manoa, who was expected to be the team’s ace, has struggled and was sent down to the minors to make adjustments. After pitching at the height of his powers last year, finishing third in the American League Cy Young Award voting, Manoa has struggled mightily this season, going 1-7 with a 6.36 ERA in 13 games.

Manoa is expected to rise after he literally finds his pitching balance. How long that will take is unknown at this point. While this is depressing news for Toronto, there is some good news. Ryu Hyun-jin (36) and Chad Green (32), who both had Tommy John surgery to repair their elbow ligaments, are making good progress in their rehabilitation. Green is slightly ahead of Ryu, but Ryu is also following his prescribed program without much error.

Ryu, who recently joined the team when they traveled to Tampa Bay (FL), has continued his bullpen pitching schedule. Toronto manager John Schneider commented that Ryu “looked good” after his bullpen outing, and he has continued to improve since then.

According to Ryu’s representatives, he’s in great shape right now. Typically, pitchers join spring training after a year of individual workouts and start pitching in bullpens and live games. Ryu’s current condition is about as good as it gets in spring training. “My velocity is up a lot,” he said.

He is gradually increasing the intensity of his pitches, and the long bullpen pitching phase is coming to an end. By mid-June, the scheduled bullpen pitches will be over. If all goes well, it’s on to live pitching. Whereas bullpen pitches are a pitcher-catcher interaction, live pitches are a full-blown pitch with a batter in the batter’s box. It’s a new feeling for players.

There will be three live pitches with an off day in between. Then, in July, the clock starts ticking for a minor league rehab start and, as Ryu says, a return to the majors after the All-Star break. It’s very rare for a rehabilitation to last more than a year, and it’s looking increasingly likely that Ryu will be one of those rare cases.

Ryu has been battling elbow pain in recent days. He recalls always worrying the night before a game, “I don’t want it to hurt when I go out there…” It’s a testament to his level that he was a finalist for the Cy Young Award two years in a row. He may have added a year to his age during his rehabilitation, but it’s all worth it when you think about the freedom he’ll have with a pain-free elbow.안전놀이터

Toronto should be excited about his return. He’s a quality pitcher when healthy, and he’ll free up a spot in the starting rotation for someone who’s struggling. The lack of left-handers in the rotation is another reason to be excited for Ryu’s return. Manager John Schneider has vowed to use Ryu as a starter when he returns, so it’s likely that Ryu will get as many pitches as he can and then schedule his return to the majors.