‘We need Ryu Hyun-jin’ Toronto opens second half with six-game homestand…meets Kim Hae-do too
After a strong first half, the Toronto Blue Jays open the second half with a six-game homestand. They’ll host teams from the National League West for a three-game weekend series and a three-game midweek series.
Toronto begins a three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks on the 15th. It’s a formidable opponent on the first schedule of the second half. Arizona is a powerhouse, sitting in second place in the National League West with a 52-39 record. After leading the division for much of the year, they were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers at the end of the first half.
Toronto will need to find a way to win the series against Arizona. It’s important to continue the momentum that saw them go 5-1 in their last six away games of the first half. The Jays need to start the second half well against a high-powered Arizona offense in order to defend their third-place finish in the American League East.
After Arizona, they will play a three-game series at home against Kim’s San Diego Padres. San Diego has fallen to the bottom of the division after a disappointing first half. With 43 wins and 47 losses, they are less than a half-game over .500 and are fourth in the division and out of contention for the Fall Classic.
Letting their guard down. San Diego finished the first half on a high note with two straight wins. They’ve rebounded to win six of their last 10 games. Any more losses and they’ll have to give it their all, as they’ll be out of the running for the Fall Classic. For Toronto, it’s all about steady play and racking up as many points as possible.
After a six-game homestand, the Jays will play six games on the road. They will play three games against the Seattle Mariners and three games against the Los Angeles Dodgers. After a tough road trip against a solid Dodgers team, they return home for a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels and a four-game series against the Baltimore Orioles.
Baltimore is currently in second place in the American League East. A win in this series would give them a chance to move up in the division. They will then play a three-game series against the last-place Boston Red Sox, who are winless in six games this season. The upcoming seven-game series against teams in the same division will make or break the season.바카라사이트
The timing of the return of the ‘Korean Monster’ Ryu Hyun-jin will also be a major focus. With a very tight schedule and a lot of important games on the horizon, Toronto needs Ryu to return as soon as possible. He’s currently throwing in the minor leagues and is expected to return to the mound in late July or August at the earliest.
The way things are shaping up, it’s likely that he’ll make his return at a time when Toronto is in a very important standings battle. After missing more than a year due to injury, it will be interesting to see if he can come back and perform well when the team needs him most. As Toronto looks to make a late-season comeback, Ryu could be the “hidden card” in their arsenal.