Blue Jays exhale knowing Ryu’s injury isn’t serious

When you’re the team’s most indispensable, valuable and most dependable player, even a minor injury is viewed as something major.

Hyun-jin Ryu, the crafty and stoic ace of the Blue Jays staff, made an early game departure Sunday in Tampa Bay, where Toronto’s bullpen spearheaded the team’s 1-0 win over the Rays to claim the three-game series against an AL East rival.

But for most of the day and into the early evening, it was all about Ryu and why he was forced to leave in the fourth inning after he gave up a hit on a day when the host Rays managed to produce five hits.

The lefty left the rubber match in St. Petersburg, Fla., after yielding a two-out single to Manuel Margot.

Everyone associated with the franchise held its collective breath, including manager Charlie Montoyo.

“I just talked to him,” said Montoyo during his postgame Zoom call. “I told him: ‘Yeah, you just scared me.’”

As it turns out, Ryu suffered a minor glute strain, an ailment he has dealt with in the past.

It’s nothing serious, assured the soft-spoken Ryu.

In fact, he didn’t even view it as an injury when he held court virtually, brushing off any notion the minor strain will land him on the injured list.

“He’s walking fine,” added Montoyo. “That’s great news. Of course, things go through your mind, an oblique or something. He said he should be fine. We’ll see.”

Ryu says he’ll prepare like he normally would.

His next scheduled start is Saturday.

“I’ll check how I feel (Monday),” said Ryu.

Just to double-check, Ryu said he might have a side session, throwing anywhere from 10 to 15 pitches.

“Starting (Monday) it’ll be a regular day again,” he added.

Ryu said it was the right decision to come out of the game.

He did add how he felt something was wrong, something loose.

Ryu underwent some tests inside the trainer’s room.

“I’m fine,’’ he said. “Pretty happy.”