Blue Jays don't expect Ryu Hyun-jin to miss a start

Ryu Hyun-jin [AP/YONHAP]

Toronto Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo appears optimistic about Ryu Hyun-jin's condition after he was removed from a game on Sunday with what was said at the time to be a glute strain.

Ryu left the mound in the fourth inning after throwing 62 pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. 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.

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

Ryu's opinion seems to be shared by Montoyo, who told reporters after the Blue Jays game against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday that Ryu is "doing well."

Montoyo described the injury as "day-to-day" and said that Ryu is unlikely to miss his spot in the rotation. While Ryu could get an extra day of rest, the Blue Jays are not expecting him to miss a start.

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