Dodgers make it official: Hyun-Jin Ryu to have shoulder surgery

Dodgers left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu throws a pitch during a spring training practice on Feb. 9. Ryu has not appeared in a single game this season because of his left shoulder injury.

By Steve Dilbeck

May 20, 2015 3:18 PM PT

You cross your fingers and hope for the best, but sometimes deep down in your little heart of hearts, you know the outcome will not be good.

And for the Dodgers on Wednesday it was not, with the club announcing -- as was both feared and expected -- that Hyun-Jin Ryu will undergo shoulder surgery Thursday.

Ryu has not pitched all season, still dealing with a shoulder problem that twice sent him to the disabled list last season and flared up again in spring training.

Apparently the team is not exactly sure what they will find when Dr. Neal ElAttrache performs the arthroscopic surgery. The club previously said a pair of MRIs done over the last year did not clearly show any tears, so this will qualify as an exploratory surgery, or at least a cleanup of the shoulder.

But it is his throwing shoulder, so any surgery is serious. The team will not be able to determine how long Ryu will be out until the surgery is completed and they learn exactly what was required to fix the shoulder, though he is not expected back this season.

Ryu, 28, has gone 28-15 with a 3.17 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in his two seasons with the Dodgers and was generally considered one of baseball’s best No. 3 starters.

Now after aces Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke, the Dodgers’ rotation currently consists of Brett Anderson, Carlos Frias and Mike Bolsinger.

Twitter: @SteveDilbeck