Raul Ruidiaz sidelined for 4-5 weeks with hamstring injury

Seattle Sounders figure Raul Ruidiaz will be out for several weeks after suffering a hamstring injury during the 4-1 loss against the Portland Timbers on April 15. 

The player picked up the strain to his right hamstring following his goal against the Western Conference rivals, exiting the field in the 83rd minute with discomfort. Ruidiaz then underwent an MRI scan on Thursday that revealed the extent of the injury, setting the recovery timeline for late May. 

"He will be out for about four weeks, maybe five," head coach Brian Schmetzer said. "He does have a strained right hamstring. It wasn’t good news, and I feel for him, because he’d scored two goals and was back in a good run of form, so it was bad news yesterday."

It's a huge blow for the Sounders, as Ruidiaz forms an integral part of the attack. He’s become a staple under Schmetzer, scoring 61 goals in 103 regular-season games since arriving from Liga MX side Morelia in 2018. But this isn’t the first time the team will have to manage without him, after he was limited to just 18 games last season with another hamstring issue.

Schmetzer must now depend heavily on Jordan Morris to find the back of the net, and continue his strong form to propel Seattle forward. The USMNT striker currently boasts eight goals heading into Matchday 9, leading the Golden Boot standings. 

He saw a great start to the season, scoring four goals against Sporting Kansas City alone to secure the 4-1 victory before going on to triumph 3-0 against St. Louis CITY. Morris has helped the Sounders reach third place on the table, with 16 points in eight games and a record of 5W-2L-1D.