Former Blue Jays pitcher Ryu set to sign record contract in South Korea: report
Former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Hyun Jin Ryu appears to be returning home to South Korea — and he’ll be making a record-setting amount of money to do so.
After spending four seasons in the major leagues with the Jays and six more with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Ryu is set to sign with the Hanwha Eagles, as per Yonhap News Agency’s Jeeho Yoo.
Hanwha Eagles said they will announce their signing of free agent pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu on Wednesday (Korean time). He's expected to become the highest-paid player in #KBO.
Ryu first pitched for the Eagles from 2006 to 2012. Was MVP and Rookie of the Year in 2006.— Jeeho Yoo (@Jeeho_1) February 20, 2024
The deal for the 36-year-old left-handed starting pitcher is expected to be worth US$12.7 million over four years, the largest deal in Korean baseball history.
Looks like Hyun-Jin Ryu will sign for about $12.7 million over 4 years with the Hanwha Eagles in the #KBO. That's 17 billion Korean won.
That'd be the biggest contract in KBO history, both in AAV and total amount.— Jeeho Yoo (@Jeeho_1) February 20, 2024
Ryu had played for the Eagles from 2006 to 2012 before jumping to the MLB with the Dodgers.
One of the most hotly anticipated free agent signings in Jays franchise history, Ryu’s tenure in Toronto was full of largely uncontrollable ups and downs. Signing a four-year, $80 million contract in December 2019, Ryu’s start with Toronto was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
His first year in Toronto saw him finish third in American League Cy Young voting in the shortened season, putting up a 2.69 ERA and a 5-2 record in his 12 starts.
He wasn’t able to be quite as dominant the following year but still maintained some level of consistency throughout the year, going 14-10 with a 4.37 ERA despite Toronto playing its home games in three different parks in Buffalo, Dunedin, and the Rogers Centre.
But 2022 was a disastrous season for Ryu, suffering a Tommy John injury in early June that limited him to just 17 appearances over his final two years in Toronto. Expected to be the ace of Toronto’s rotation, Ryu appeared in just one playoff game for the franchise, an 8-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 2 of the Wild Card round in 2020.
Overall, Ryu was 24-15 with an ERA of 3.97 and 269 strikeouts in 60 appearances for the Blue Jays.
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