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Dodgers starter Hyun-Jin Ryu has another setback in rehab

Hyun-Jin Ryu had surgery to remove damaged tissue in his left elbow last year during his setback-laden attempt to return from shoulder surgery.
(Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)
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On Wednesday afternoon on a minor league field in Fresno, Hyun-Jin Ryu threw a fastball that registered at 90 mph for the first time since 2014. A day after, he awoke with soreness in his surgically repaired left shoulder, which will delay his return to the Dodgers.

The organization scratched Ryu from his start on Monday with triple-A Oklahoma City. Manager Dave Roberts hoped he would only miss one turn through a five-day rotation. But with a shoulder injury, as Ryu has shown, it is difficult to predict the future.

When spring training began, the Dodgers penciled Ryu in the starting rotation. Now he may not debut until July.

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“We were thinking [he could return by the] middle of June,” Roberts said before Sunday’s series finale against the Mets. “And now it’s obviously a little setback. It pushes it back. And that depends on how he feels. He could come in and say the soreness has completely dissipated, and we’ll re-evaluate.”

The soreness stemmed, in part, team officials said, from Ryu’s velocity increase. The team hoped he could return after two more starts in the minor leagues. He tentatively will remain on that timetable.

Ryu has not completely shut down his throwing program. He will continue to play catch and keep his arm loose. Roberts indicated the team had not discovered any structural damage to the joint.

Brandon McCarthy (Tommy John surgery) will face hitters on Monday. Roberts was unsure when McCarthy will begin a rehabilitation assignment. Andrew Friedman, the president of baseball operations, has mentioned early July as a target for McCarthy.

SHORT HOPS: Kenta Maeda expected to make his start on Thursday at Wrigley Field despite getting hit in his pitching hand by a line drive on Saturday. Maeda said the swelling improved better than he expected. He completed five innings on Saturday after absorbing the blow . . . Trayce Thompson (lower back tightness) was not used on Sunday, but said he was available to come off the bench . . . Mike Bolsinger will start on Wednesday against the Cubs.

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Andy.mccullough@latimes.com

Twitter: @McCulloughTimes

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