The Los Angeles Dodgers have activated left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu from the 10-day injured list ahead of Sunday’s series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Ryu (11-2, 1.53 ERA) is making his first start this month after being sidelined with neck stiffness. The Dodgers optioned right-hander Casey Sadler to Triple-A Oklahoma City in a corresponding move.
Ryu, the National League Cy Young favorite, has limited Arizona to one run and seven hits in 13 innings this season, winning both of his starts against the Diamondbacks. He threw six scoreless innings in his most recent start, a 5-1 win in Colorado on July 31, but landed on the injured list after waking up with neck soreness the next day.
Ryu leads the NL in ERA by a wide margin, nearly a run better then No. 2 Max Scherzer (2.41). Ryu also leads the NL with 18 quality starts and a 0.94 WHIP, and he is tied with teammate Clayton Kershaw for third in victories.
Most remarkably, Ryu has walked only 16 batters, the fewest among NL qualifiers, and has given up only 10 home runs in 135 2/3 innings. Greg Maddux issued 23 walks in 1995, the fewest by any Cy Young-winning qualifier, and Ryu has gone 32 2/3 innings without allowing a homer since the Rockies touched him for three in his last loss June 28 at Colorado.
Ryu beat the Diamondbacks in the regular-season opener March 28 and gave up only three hits in seven scoreless innings in a 9-0 victory June 4 in Arizona. He is 5-3 with a 3.30 ERA in 15 career starts against them.