The Toronto Blue Jays have the best pitcher in the major leagues in the second half. This is Yusei Kikuchi. Kikuchi, who had an earned run average of 4 or higher in all three years with the Seattle Mariners and last year, his first season after moving to Toronto, but this year is different. He is looking at an earned run average of 3 and 10 wins for the first time in five years since his major league debut. His performance in the second half was even more astonishing. On the 16th (Korean time), he added 1 run in 6 innings against the Philadelphia Phillies, and the average ERA in the second half was 1.29.
The Athletic, an American sports media, mentioned Ryu Hyun-jin's record while shedding light on Kikuchi's rebound. In 2020, this is the club record that Ryu Hyun-jin set when he ranked third in the American League Cy Young Award voting. Kikuchi has blocked the opponent's batting line with less than one earned run in all six recent appearances. Starting with 2 runs in 4⅔ innings and 1 earned run against Arizona on the 17th of last month, no runs in 5⅓ innings against Seattle on the 22nd, 1 run in 6 innings against the Dodgers on the 27th, 1 run in 6 innings against Baltimore on the 3rd of this month, and 1 run in 7 innings against Cleveland on the 9th. It was steady.
The record of 1 earned run or less in 6 consecutive games is the longest tying record for the Toronto franchise. The records held by Ryu Hyun-jin (2020) and Dave Steve (1988-1989) reappeared in the media through Kikuchi. Steve's 6 games spanned two seasons, so as a single season record, Ryu Hyun-jin and Kikuchi's 6 games are a new record. However, Kikuchi could not fulfill the condition of ‘5 innings' once. That's because he was replaced with 2 out in the 5th inning against Arizona. Ryu Hyun-jin even met the condition of 5 innings here.
6 consecutive games in a single season with 5 or more innings and 1 earned run or less is a record that has not been achieved by traditional aces who have passed through Toronto . 안전놀이터 Steve in 1983, Roger Clemens in 1997, and Roy Halladay in 2005 set a record of five consecutive games, but failed in the sixth. In 2020, Hyun-Jin Ryu has been on the rise as a savior to help Toronto recover from a shoulder injury, and he has consistently maintained his performance, surpassing the legendary pitchers that all major league fans know.
On the other hand, Ryu Hyun-jin finished the last two games without an earned run except for his comeback. Against Baltimore on the 2nd, which was his comeback match, he struggled with 4 runs in 5 innings, but on the 8th, against Cleveland, he pitched 4 scoreless innings and on the 14th, against the Cubs, with 2 runs in 5 innings. Ryu Hyun-jin is expected to make his fourth appearance of the season against Cincinnati.
