DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Hyun-Jin Ryu’s Grapefruit League debut with the Blue Jays didn’t dazzle, but it didn’t need to.

Toronto’s new ace might not wow fans over a two-inning stretch in the same way that, say, No. 1 prospect Nate Pearson would, and that’s a matter of style. Ryu lives at 90 mph, not 100, so his talents will be better appreciated across a wider sample. His start against the Twins in Thursday’s 3-3 tie, though, offered some glimpses.

After allowing a double and single to open the game, Ryu danced out of the jam by forcing two ground balls and a strikeout. A heavy dose of fastballs early gave way to changeups and breaking balls later, but Ryu wasn’t terribly concerned with that mix just yet.

“My focus during Spring Training mostly has to do with increasing the pitch count and also the innings. I think I was able to accomplish that,” Ryu said through translator Bryan Lee. “Those two factors were something I was looking for.”

Ryu threw 41 pitches, 26 for strikes, which landed right in the workload window that manager Charlie Montoyo had in mind.

The lone run Ryu allowed over his two innings came on a deep shot to center field by Zander Wiel on a high fastball. Ryu limited home runs well last season, allowing just 17 over 182 2/3 innings with the Dodgers while finishing second in NL Cy Young Award voting.

Regardless, that will always be a conversation when a pitcher jumps from the NL to the AL, especially the AL East.

“Thankfully, baseball is just baseball, whether it’s Korea or here in the States or in Canada,” Ryu said. "I don’t think much changes, but the fact that I went from the National League to the American League, you can say that’s the only change.”

For Ryu, an established, front-line starter, health is the most important variable this spring, and Thursday’s outing gets a green check mark.

Pitching plans
Matt Shoemaker threw a simulated game Wednesday and is fully healthy, Montoyo said. Tanner Roark has also been throwing after missing the early days of Spring Training with the flu, so both are expected to make their Grapefruit League debuts at some point next week.

Ryan Borucki, who was slowed by left elbow tightness, is still playing catch. The Blue Jays are being cautious with Borucki, but the next steps should be clearer in the coming days.

This is how Montoyo has his pitchers charted out for the next three games, including Nate Pearson’s second appearance of the spring:

Friday, at Tigers: Anthony Kay, Rafael Dolis, Jacob Waguespack, Travis Bergen, Bryan Baker, Hector Perez, Ty Tice

Saturday, vs. Phillies: Shun Yamaguchi, Ken Giles, Jordan Romano, Thomas Hatch, A.J. Cole, Sam Gaviglio, Brian Moran

Sunday, at Pirates: Chase Anderson, Nate Pearson, Julian Merryweather, T.J. Zeuch, Yennsy Diaz, Thomas Pannone

Netting to be added at Rogers Centre
The Blue Jays announced Thursday that protective netting will be added down the first- and third-base lines, to sections 113C and 130C. The nets will be 30 feet tall.

In order to add the netting without installing support poles, the Blue Jays will move the field-facing walls of the dugouts, media bays and baseline walls forward, which ensures the net can run flush along a cable around the lower bowl. This will remove some foul territory, but Rogers Centre will still have one of the largest foul grounds in the league.

Extras
• Cavan Biggio remains the second baseman, but he could see some time at first base or in a corner outfield spot this season. He voluntarily took some fly balls in center field recently, too, but it’s very unlikely he’s needed there. Biggio’s positional flexibility could be called upon if it helps Montoyo field a more complete lineup against a specific starter, but he won’t be forced to be versatile just for the sake of versatility.

• Lourdes Gurriel Jr. took some ground balls at first base recently. Like Biggio, he could see some time at first in certain lineup configurations, but it’s not expected to be a regular feature.

• Montoyo prefers to avoid having personal catchers for his starters, and Ryu is comfortable pitching to both Danny Jansen and Reese McGuire, who caught Ryu on Thursday. Expect Jansen to be behind the plate for Ryu’s next start.

Up next
Kay makes his second start of the spring Friday as the Blue Jays travel to face the Tigers at 1:05 p.m. ET. Kay allowed two runs on three hits over two innings in his first outing, and though he isn't expected to push Trent Thornton or Yamaguchi for the No. 5 rotation spot on Opening Day, a strong performance in the Grapefruit League could position him as the next man up from Triple-A. The game can be streamed live on MLB.TV and Gameday Audio.