Ryu Hyun-jin heads Arizona’s Chase Field for ninth win

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers will start the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday (Korea time), attempting to clinch his ninth win of the season. He went 5-0 in six starts last month.

Chase Field, the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, is a place that the South Korean pitcher is not likely to have good memories. In 2013, Ryu finished his first season in MLB with 48-29 with a 3.00 ERA in 108 games, but he underperformed in Chase Field with two wins and two losses with a 4.89 ERA in seven starts.

Some expect that the left-hander, who has fully recovered from the injury, will still be able to stay near the top of several pitching categories in the league.

Kim Byung-hyun, a commentator at MBC who had pitched for the Diamondbacks from 1999 to 2003, explained that it is hard for pitchers to throw breaking balls in Chase Field because It’s dry in the ballpark and there is little air resistance. Still, he expected that Ryu, with his various types of balls and great adaptability, will continue to pitch well in Chase Field.


Bae-Jung Kim wanted@donga.com