The value of Ryu Hyun-jin (36, Toronto Blue Jays) is still solid. There were predictions in the United States that Ryu Hyun-jin would sign a contract with a major league team next season as well.
MLB Trade Rumors (MLBTR), a media outlet that covers transfer news in the U.S. Major League Baseball, said on the 6th (Korean time), “The offseason is starting to approach for the Toronto Blue Jays, who were eliminated from the postseason after losing to the Minnesota Twins,” and said that the team is planning to leave the team. Along with the players, news on Ryu Hyun-jin was also covered.
MLBTR said, “Ryu Hyun-jin met with local U.S. reporters the day before (the 5th) and expressed his desire to remain in the U.S. Major League.”
MLBTR said, “Hyun-Jin Ryu has completed the final year of his four-year contract with Toronto worth a total of $80 million (approximately KRW 108 billion). Hyun-Jin Ryu began his career in Toronto as a finalist for the American League Cy Young Award in the 2020 season.”
He added, “Ryu Hyun-jin recorded an ERA of 4.37 and FIP (average ERA regardless of defense) of 4.02 in the 2021 season, and was absent for most of the 2022 and 2023 seasons due to elbow ligament joint surgery (Tommy John surgery).” Ryu Hyun-jin devoted himself to rehabilitation for about a year after undergoing elbow ligament joint surgery (Tommy John surgery) during the 2022 season.스포츠토토
MLBTR said, “Ryu Hyun-jin returned this season after surgery and made 11 starts, posting an ERA of 3.46. Left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin, who was 36 years old this year, played a total of 315 innings in Toronto and achieved an ERA of 3.97 and an FIP of 4.02. ( Overall, the 36-year-old southpaw posted a 3.97 ERA and 4.02 FIP in 315 innings of work with the Blue Jays, including a 3.46 ERA across eleven starts this season after returning from surgery.
MLBTR continued, “Ryu Hyun-jin told local reporters the day before that he hopes to continue pitching in the Major League in 2024. (Ryu confirmed to reporters yesterday that he hopes to continue pitching in MLB in 2024).” He gave a positive evaluation, saying, “It is still one of the options for free agent starting resources, and it seems reasonable to expect Ryu to find a big league deal somewhere.” Ben Nicholson-Smith of Canadian media Sportsnet also left a post on his SNS (social network service) on the 5th saying, “Ryu Hyun-jin wants to sign a contract with a major league team next season as well.”
MLBTR said, “The veteran (Ryu Hyun-jin)’s injury history was quite long, but Ryu Hyun-jin was a pitcher who showed good performance when healthy after debuting with the LA Dodgers in 2013. Ryu Hyun-jin had a career ERA of 3.27 and FIP of 3.53, respectively. He emphasized, “He’s been effective when healthy since debuting with the Dodgers back in 2013, with a career 3.27 ERA and 3.53 FIP.”
As Ryu Hyun-jin and Toronto’s four-year run together comes to an end, attention is now focused on his future plans.
The Toronto Blue Jays lost 0-2 in Game 2 of the 2023 American Major League Postseason American League Wild Card Series against the Minnesota Twins held at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA on the 5th. As a result, Toronto, which lost 1-3 in the first wild card game, suffered the bitter taste of elimination by recording two consecutive losses in the best-of-three wild card series. Toronto succeeded in advancing to the Wild Card Series last season, but was also eliminated after losing two consecutive games to the Seattle Mariners.
This postseason was likely to be a disappointment for Ryu Hyun-jin. Ryu Hyun-jin was excluded from the wild card series entry announced earlier and packed his bags without being able to play in the fall baseball league anymore. Toronto had Kevin Gausman and Jose Berrios as its starting players in this wild card series, with Chris Bassett and Yusei Kikuchi also listed as starters. However, as they were unable to lead the team to victory in the Wild Card Series, Ryu Hyun-jin’s fall came to an end at the same time.
If Toronto won the wild card series and advanced to the best-of-five division series and best-of-seven championship series, there was hope that Ryu Hyun-jin could also play. If the series were to be longer, Ryu Hyun-jin would definitely have been worth utilizing. According to local American media, coach John Schneider also conveyed a message to local reporters in an interview that he was preparing normally for Ryu Hyun-jin. However, the result was a cold report card of being eliminated from the postseason.
Ryu Hyun-jin appeared in a total of 60 games for Toronto, leaving a record of 24 wins and 15 losses. In 2020, he pitched well with 5 wins, 2 losses, and an ERA of 2.69 in the 60-game shortened season system, and ranked third in the American League Cy Young Award. Then, in 2021, he achieved 14 wins, tying his personal record. However, his average ERA was somewhat high at 4.37. Last year, after appearing in 6 games, the season ended early due to elbow ligament joint surgery (Tommy John surgery). His surgery was successful. After undergoing elbow ligament fusion surgery last year, Ryu Hyun-jin returned in August this season and had a successful season. He started 11 games this season and posted a record of 3 wins and 3 losses in 52 innings. Although the fast ball that overwhelmed batters like in the past has disappeared, he showed more sophisticated control and game management skills. In addition, he was equipped with a sharper super slow curve and cooked major league sluggers. Although he pitched poorly against the Tampa Bay Rays at the end of the season, it was still a season where his value could be confirmed. Moreover, since Ryu Hyun-jin was a pitcher who had just returned from rehabilitation, it was no exaggeration to say that it was a ‘human victory drama’.
In the United States, it was also mentioned as a successful example of a pitcher who underwent elbow surgery for the second time. Ryu Hyun-jin underwent elbow ligament replacement surgery in 2004 when he was a sophomore at Dongsan High School. Then, in June of last year, he went back to the operating table again for the second elbow ligament joint surgery of his life. Afterwards, he returned after rehabilitation and pitched well, causing great surprise in the United States. The Associated Press mentioned Ryu Hyun-jin’s name and called it a model example of the second elbow ligament joint surgery, and another media outlet, FanGraphs, said, “Ryu Hyun-jin spent a record 18 years between his first and second elbow surgeries. “He is one of the 3 who succeeded in making a comeback among the 14 people who underwent elbow ligament fusion surgery after 2021. He praised him, saying, “He played outstanding pitching in the games he started this season.”
Ryu Hyun-jin has already been mentioned as a prospect for a multi-year contract. Last September, MLB.com, the official Major League Baseball website, selected 9 prospective free agents who should finish the 2023 season well, and Ryu Hyun-jin’s name was also included. MLB.com said, “Normally, it takes some time to get back on track after elbow ligament joint surgery. But not Ryu Hyun-jin,” and “Ryu Hyun-jin took the 5th starting spot left by Alec Manoah, who was sent down to the minor league twice this season, well. “It was filled,” he praised. At the same time, he predicted, “Although 36-year-old Ryu Hyun-jin may not be able to sign a four-year contract worth $80 million, if he continues his current performance, he will be able to sign a multi-year contract with good terms.”
Now that he has declared his intention to remain in the major leagues, which team will reach out to Ryu Hyun-jin in the free agent market? If Ryu Hyun-jin returns to Korea without pitching in the major leagues, he must unconditionally return to his ‘home team’ Hanwha Eagles. However, it is expected that it will take some more time to see Ryu Hyun-jin on the domestic stage.