After a pair of difficult starts to kick off the season, Hyun Jin Ryu has been placed on the 10-day Injured List with left forearm inflammation.

He apparently felt some tightness in his throwing arm while warming up for his start on Saturday and tried to pitch through it. Ryu would wind up getting tagged for five earned runs on six hits over four innings of work while striking out just one batter.

As rough as that outing was for Ryu, it was actually an upgrade on his first result. Against the Texas Rangers last Sunday, Ryu cruised through three innings and then the wheels completely came off the tracks, as he was drilled for five runs while recording just one out. All told, Ryu went three-and-one-third innings in that start, surrendering six earned.

There’s obviously quite a bit of worry about Ryu, as his struggles date back to the mid-way point of last season. He was his ace-like self in April and May, started to struggle a bit in June and July, and then completely fell off down the stretch. Ryu had a 2.62 ERA at the end of May, posted a 5.29 ERA from June to the end of September, and finished the season with a 4.37 ERA all told.

It’s difficult to say how long Ryu will be out, but it’s best the Blue Jays take their time and try to get him right. Being a finesse pitcher, having a short spring training obviously wasn’t ideal for Ryu, so perhaps the move now is to slowly bring him along as though it was spring training again.

For now, Ross Stripling will fill Ryu’s spot in the rotation. Stripling was great in his first start of the season against the A’s on Friday, as he tossed four scoreless innings. Ryan Borucki has also been activated from the IL in place of Ryu.