Ryu Hyun-jin says he isn't injured after making early exit

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin reacts after getting hurt during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Sunday. [AP/YONHAP]

Toronto Blue Jays ace Ryu Hyun-jin says he doesn't think he is injured after making an early exit from a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.

“I don’t think it’s an injury, I guess I was less tense than I should have been,” Ryu was quoted as saying on MLB.com. “It’s nothing serious and it’s not something I’ve felt before.”

Ryu left the mound in the fourth inning after throwing 62 pitches. The Blue Jays later announced he had a "minor glute strain."

Prior to his early departure, Ryu had given up three hits and stuck out five with one walk during his three and two thirds innings of work, leaving the game with a 2.60 ERA after five starts.

Losing their No. 1 pitcher would have been a huge blow to an already weakened Blue Jays rotation. Nate Pearson and Ross Stripling are already on the 10-day injury list, while Tanner Roark is out with a family emergency. If Ryu was added to the injury list, that would have left the Blue Jays with just two starting pitchers left — Steven Matz and Robbie Ray.

The Blue Jays were set to reevaluate Ryu's condition on Monday, but neither Ryu nor manager Charlie Montoyo expect trouble.

“I’m going to go as I would normally prepare for a game,” Ryu was quoted as saying on MLB.com. “I’ll just work how I normally do with my routine. Just going through what happened today, I might have to go on the mound and have a little side session of 10-15 pitches just to double-check and make sure that I’m OK. Starting tomorrow, it’s just a regular day again.”

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]