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Blue Jays: Looking back at 2020 season Predictions

By Reuben Gasee

BUFFALO, NEW YORK - AUGUST 30: Toronto Blue Jays celebrate after Teoscar Hernandez #42 hit a walk-off two run single to defeat the Baltimore Orioles 6-5 at Sahlen Field on August 30, 2020 in Buffalo, New York. All players are wearing #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. The day honoring Jackie Robinson, traditionally held on April 15, was rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Blue Jays are the home team and are playing their home games in Buffalo due to the Canadian government’s policy on coronavirus (COVID-19). (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - AUGUST 30: Toronto Blue Jays celebrate after Teoscar Hernandez #42 hit a walk-off two run single to defeat the Baltimore Orioles 6-5 at Sahlen Field on August 30, 2020 in Buffalo, New York. All players are wearing #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. The day honoring Jackie Robinson, traditionally held on April 15, was rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Blue Jays are the home team and are playing their home games in Buffalo due to the Canadian government’s policy on coronavirus (COVID-19). (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images) /
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ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 30: Hyun-Jin Ryu #99 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches during Game Two of the American League Wild Card Series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on September 30, 2020 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

Prediction #1- Hyun-Jin Ryu’s ERA jumps over 100 points

In 2019 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Hyun-Jin Ryu posted an ERA of 2.23 over 29 starts. 29 starts is typically close to a starter’s workload over a full season, although Ryu did miss time with an injury in 2019.

In his first season with the Blue Jays in 2020, Ryu posted a 2.69 ERA over his 12 games started. This would have been a full workload for the shortened season as he started 20% of the games. Compared to 2019, Ryu’s ERA jumped just 46 points and he is a candidate for the AL Cy Young award.

This is a prediction I had for Ryu when he signed with the Blue Jays, which is when everyone expected for a full season to take place. In Los Angeles, he was surrounded by a formidable team that went to the World Series twice in the past three years prior to them winning the championship this season. He also had a strong defence behind him that included Cody Bellinger as well as an established and an experienced catcher in former Canadian Blue Jay Russell Martin.

In Toronto, he is surrounded by an inexperienced, young team that at the time, was still finding their footing in the big leagues. They didn’t have such a strong defensive team either heading into 2020.

With the Dodgers, he also had the chance to face weaker teams like the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres who prior to this season were bottom dwellers.

Coming over to the AL East, he would constantly have to face a mighty, powerful New York Yankees lineup, the Tampa Bay Rays, and the Boston Red Sox who despite their last place finish, can still hit.

Ryu proved me wrong here and showed that he can hang in with strong offensive teams regardless of who they are.

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