Ryu Hyun-Jin sent back to see doctor in LA, may miss start of season

March 23, 2015
Ryu Hyun-jin stretches his shoulder on Sunday, but could not throw without discomfort. (Yonhap)

Ryu Hyun-jin stretches his shoulder on Sunday, but could not throw without discomfort. (Yonhap)

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Dodgers starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu returned to Los Angeles on Sunday for further medical evaluation of discomfort in his left shoulder.

The No. 3 starter left camp to see team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache after playing catch in routine drills.

“Hyun-Jin wasn’t great today,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “It wasn’t terrible. But it wasn’t great. We sent him back.”

Ryu underwent an injection of cortisone on Wednesday.

“We just want to get him in front of the Doc before we move forward,” Mattingly said.

The setback jeopardizes Ryu’s chances to be ready for the start of the season, with Mattingly calling it “very unlikely.”

Ryu went 14-7 with a 3.38 ERA last season. The South Korean left-hander signed a 6-year, $36-million contract in December 2012.