Ryu Hyun-jin, this is the best pitcher in the majors… Cincinnati to test Ryu Hyun-jin’s ironclad shield?

Cincinnati wasn’t labeled as a postseason favorite in our preview of the season, but as of Sunday, the Reds are 63-59 (.516) and have a better than five-game winning percentage. There was even a brief period when they were atop the district.

바카라사이트They’re 2.5 games back of first-place Milwaukee and in fourth place in the National League wild-card race, with no games in hand on the Chicago Cubs. That’s a solid postseason position. Sure, they have some weaknesses, both on the mound and at the plate, but they’re a team to watch, at least in terms of energy. Cincinnati’s top prospects, including this year’s top prospect, Eli De La Cruz, have been promoted, and the team’s offense has taken on a different feel.

Despite the ups and downs that come with being young, the Reds have been very good on the basepaths. They lead the majors in stolen bases. They’re really enjoying getting on base. As of the 17th, Cincinnati has 139 team stolen bases. They lead the majors and are in a three-way tie for first place in the category with Tampa Bay (130) and Arizona (124).

No other player has more than 40 stolen bases like Ronald Acuña Jr. (Atlanta). But the main players are evenly matched. TJ Friedle has 23 steals and Jake Freeley has 20, while seven other players have double-digit steals in De La Cruz (19), Will Benson (12), Jonathan India (12), Matt McClain (11), and Spencer Steer (11). Many of these players are younger, in their early to mid-20s, with good athleticism.

Cincinnati, which has a relatively poor on-base percentage and slugging percentage, is playing a baseball game where once they get on base, they steal one more base to create a long ball. Add to that the fact that they have a number of players who can get from first to third on a single. In the end, Ryu will have to be prepared for Toronto and Cincinnati on April 21.

Ryu hasn’t allowed opposing runners to steal a base this season, even with the rule change ⓒYonhap/AP

Ryu Hyun-jin will start against Cincinnati on May 21.

While Ryu was rehabbing from elbow surgery, Major League Baseball changed the rules. In addition to limiting defensive shifts, the pitch clock was introduced and the number of interceptions was limited. A player is only allowed to throw two strikes. Add to that the physicality of running the bases, and running baseball has taken center stage. Every major league team has stolen more bases this year, with only a few exceptions. This was not the case before Ryu was injured. He’s going to be playing in the majors for the foreseeable future, so he’s going to have to adapt.

However, Ryu has a knack for stranding runners on first base. In order to throw runners out, you either have to have a very good slide step or a very good blocking ability. However, Ryu is considered to have both. This ability is reflected in his record.

Since entering the majors in 2013, Ryu has allowed just eight stolen bases in 10 seasons. That’s a 50% stolen base rate, which is high. While stealing bases is a catcher’s game, the fact that runners have basically only attempted to steal 16 times speaks to Ryu’s ability to throw runners out. The fact that runners only attempted to steal 16 bases is a testament to Ryu’s ability to contain runners.

Since 2013, when Ryu made his major league debut, only 27 pitchers have allowed 20 or fewer stolen bases in 500+ innings. There are five players who have allowed 10 or fewer, including Ryu, Mark Burley, Yonado Ventura, Chris Tillman, and Zach Flaherty. Of those five, only Ryu has thrown more than 1,000 innings. It’s safe to say that Ryu is one of the best in the majors, at least when it comes to keeping runners in scoring position.

That hasn’t changed much this season, even with the new system. In Ryu’s last three starts, there was only one stolen base attempt, and it was caught. Despite the favorable environment for runners, Ryu has proven to be an impregnable wall for runners.

Eli De La Cruz shows off his tremendous speed and athleticism.

Hunter Green, the fireballer who will be facing Ryu on April 21.

Cincinnati shouldn’t be surprised. They will analyze Ryu thoroughly and try to find his weaknesses. After all, to take down Ryu and the Toronto mound, you have to play to your team’s strengths, and one of Cincinnati’s strengths is mobility. Conversely, Ryu will have to come up with an elaborate strategy to stop them. The battle of the spear and the shield will not only be fought at the plate, but also on the bases.

Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Reds will send fireballer Hunter Green to the plate in Ryu’s quest for two wins, starting at 2:40 a.m. on April 21. Green has one of the fastest fastballs in the majors, a trait that has garnered him a lot of attention since he was a youngster, and the Reds have been giving him chances consistently since last year. In 38 career major league starts, Green is 7-17 with a 4.25 ERA.

His ability to get batters out is led by a tremendous fastball that averages 98.6 miles per hour (158.7 km/h). His slider has a good angle. It’s a traditional combination of a fastball and a sharp slider. However, he doesn’t have perfect command of his pitches yet. He’s a completely different type of pitcher than Ryu, who has a slower velocity, but has command and a variety of pitches. The clash between the two styles will be interesting to watch.