“13 Billion For The Ryu Hyun-jin Experience“...US Media Highly Recommends Kim As A Colleague
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"Bringing in Ryu Hyun-jin (36) would add experience, stability and depth without breaking the bank. His annual salary is expected to be 10 million dollars (about 13 billion won)."
The East Village Times, a local San Diego publication, listed veteran left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin as one of five free agent candidates who would be a good fit for the San Diego Padres on Aug. 22 (KST). Ryu was treated like an ace when he signed his first free agent contract with the Toronto Blue Jays for four years and $80 million ahead of the 2020 season. This year, he's back in free agency after four years with Toronto, but his age in his late 30s and elbow surgery last year are making it difficult for him to get a big payday. However, the American media believes that because he is Ryu, he should be able to get a contract in the range of $10 million per year.
The East Village Times recommended Ryu to San Diego because he's a left-handed starter and cheap. "San Diego is in desperate need of pitching. Even though they got a lot of pitching in the Juan Soto trade, only the front of the rotation is loaded and they lack depth. Adding Hyun-Jin Ryu would add stability and experience to the middle of the starting rotation (4-5 starts).
San Diego set out this winter to reduce its payroll to below $200 million and trimmed its size by trading Soto and Trent Grisham to the New York Yankees earlier this month. In return, they received four pitchers-Michael King, Drew Thorpe, Johnny Brito, and Randy Vasquez-plus catcher Kyle Higashioka. While they certainly added pitching depth, they don't have an elite starting pitcher.
As the East Village Times notes, "Hyun-jin Ryu had the lowest ERA among major league pitchers (2.32) for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019, which helped him earn All-Star honors that year and finish second in the National League Cy Young Award voting. In 2020, which was a shortened season (due to COVID-19), he finished third in the American League Cy Young Award voting with Toronto," said the former ace. Compared to the pitchers the Yankees acquired in the trade, Ryu carries a lot more weight right now.
Injury history is a hindrance. As the East Village Times notes, "Ryu has battled injuries since 2021. Between 2022 and 2023, he started just 17 games and threw 79 innings. In the middle of the 2022 season, he underwent Tommy John surgery and was only able to return in the second half of this season.
His post-injury performance was viewed positively. "Ryu pitched very well when he returned from his injury," the outlet said. In 11 starts, he posted a 3.46 ERA and a 123 ERA+ (adjusted ERA, where 100 is the benchmark). If Ryu can repeat this performance on a full-time basis in 2024, he'll be one of the most solid middle-of-the-rotation starters in baseball.I also saw him as a good fit to fill the void left by lefty Blake Snell. Snell won the National League Cy Young Award this year after going 14-9 in 32 games, 180 innings, 234 strikeouts, a 2.25 ERA and a 182 ERA+. It was his second such honor after winning the American League Cy Young Award in 2018 after a 21-win, 1.89 ERA season with the Tampa Bay Rays. Snell is considered one of the top starting pitching prospects in free agency this winter, along with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 25. He is categorized as a card that San Diego, which is trying to downsize, cannot easily hold onto.토토사이트
According to the East Village Times, "Not only do the Padres need a starter, they need a lefty after the departure of Cy Young winner Snell. There are only three left-handed pitchers on San Diego's 40-man roster. Adding Ryu would add experience, reliability, and depth without breaking the bank.
As a free agent, Ryu struggled with the decision between staying in the major leagues and returning to South Korea. He was adamant that if he returned to Korea, he would wear a Hanwha Eagles uniform. He had hoped to know his destination by the middle of this month, but the pitching free agency market is stagnant, with starter Max Yamamoto still on the market. At this rate, we may have to wait until next January to find out where Ryu will be.
Ryu's agent, Scott Boras, was quick to dismiss the idea of staying in the majors. "There are a lot of big league teams interested," Boras said. Ryu will be pitching in the major leagues next year, not in Korea," he said. Ryu was on the short list of free agent starting pitchers to acquire throughout the offseason, confirming that Boras wasn't just talking out of his ass.
San Diego is also anchored by infielder Kim Ha-seong, 28, who became the first Asian infielder to win a Gold Glove. While the U.S. media is currently talking about a possible trade for Kim, it would be a great thing for Korean baseball fans if he stays in San Diego and Ryu Hyun-jin joins him. San Diego's division rivals, the San Francisco Giants, recently signed outfielder Lee Jung-hoo, 25, to a six-year, $113 million contract. If San Diego makes the move as expected by the East Village Times, we could see an interesting picture of Korean major leaguers in the National League West.
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