Hyun Jin Ryu might be on his way back to South Korea. According to Jee-ho Yoo of Yonhap News, the KBO’s Hanwha Eagles have requested a status check on the experienced left-handed pitcher, which is the necessary procedure for a KBO team to pursue a player from MLB. An official from Hanwha has informed Yoo that there have been positive discussions in contract negotiations, although the deal has not yet been finalized.
Reports from South Korea on Tuesday morning suggested that Ryu was signing with the Eagles. However, the team has denied that any agreement is in place, although it is likely that everything will be officially settled in the coming days. X Sports, in a report written in Korean, has mentioned that the parties have talked about a four-year contract worth more than 17 billion won (equivalent to slightly over $12.4MM). If that were to happen, it would become the largest contract in KBO history.
Ryu made his debut with the Eagles in 2006 when he was just 19 years old. He won the league’s MVP award as a rookie, thanks to an impressive 2.23 ERA over 201 2/3 innings. The left-handed pitcher maintained a solid 2.80 ERA in 190 appearances during his seven-year tenure with the Eagles. After the 2012 season, Hanwha announced that they would make Ryu available to major league teams through the posting system.
According to the MLB-KBO posting rules in effect at the time, teams submitted undisclosed bids for the exclusive negotiation rights with the player. The Dodgers submitted a bid of over $25MM and won the auction. This allowed them a 30-day window to sign Ryu. Eventually, the two sides agreed to a six-year, $36MM contract with additional performance bonuses.
It turned out to be a wise investment. Ryu had a remarkable debut season, posting a 3.00 ERA in 30 starts and finishing fourth in NL Rookie of the Year voting. In his second year, he maintained a 3.38 ERA before being sidelined for almost two seasons due to shoulder and elbow injuries. Although he faced lower-body concerns from 2017-2018, Ryu remained effective when healthy. He ended his time with the Dodgers on a high note, delivering 182 2/3 innings with a league-leading 2.32 ERA in 2019. This outstanding performance earned him an All-Star selection and a second-place finish in NL Cy Young voting, just behind Jacob deGrom.
Ryu became a free agent after his exceptional year, with all 30 teams having the opportunity to make offers. He ultimately signed a four-year, $80 million contract with the Blue Jays for the 2020 season. His first two seasons with the team proved to be successful, as he achieved a 2.69 ERA in 12 starts during the shortened schedule and finished third in Cy Young voting. Although he wasn’t as dominant in the following season, he still managed a respectable 4.37 ERA while starting a career-high 31 games.
Unfortunately, Ryu’s final two seasons were marred by injuries. He struggled with forearm issues early in the 2022 season, attempting to pitch through the pain without success. Eventually, he required Tommy John surgery in June, which kept him off the MLB mound for a significant portion of the 2023 season.
Ryu returned to the Blue Jays on August 1, making 11 starts in the final two months and achieving a 3.46 ERA. While his production was solid, there were some concerning indicators. His fastball velocity hit a personal low of 88.6 MPH, and he only struck out 17% of opposing hitters while allowing 1.56 home runs per nine innings. The Blue Jays limited his workload, rarely allowing him to pitch beyond five innings or face an opposing hitter for a third time.
These factors worked against Ryu as he entered free agency for his age-37 season. Initially, he expressed a desire to remain in MLB, and teams like the Mets and Padres reportedly showed interest. However, it’s possible that the market for major league teams wasn’t as robust as Ryu had anticipated. As a result, it seems likely that Ryu will return to his home country to pitch for the Eagles, fulfilling his previous aspirations. The contract he is expected to sign may be record-setting and will extend until his age-40 season.
If the deal is finalized, it will likely mark the end of Ryu’s MLB career. Throughout his time in the major leagues, he had an impressive career, maintaining a 3.27 earned run average in 186 appearances. He pitched 1055 1/3 innings, struck out 934 batters, and accumulated 78 wins. Ryu was a two-time Cy Young finalist and even received MVP votes in 2019 and 2020. He also made nine playoff starts over five different seasons, posting a 4.54 ERA in 41 2/3 innings.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
According to the Source mlbtraderumors.com