He’s ready for the ‘monster’. Only Ryu’s determination remains.
Ryu recently sent his luggage from a warehouse in Toronto to South Korea, where he is reportedly preparing for the trip.
Ryu, who has been in the major leagues since 2013, underwent elbow surgery in June 2022. When he returned last year, he went 3-3 with a 3.46 ERA in 11 games.
The local media said that Ryu is not an ace, but he is a solid pitcher who can solidify the starting rotation. They thought he would be good enough to be a 3-4 starter.
He was still valuable in the major leagues, but signing him wasn’t easy. He was in his late 30s and had a history of injuries, so he didn’t get the deal he expected.
Negotiations with the San Diego Padres, the most likely destination, also fell through.
In the end, a return to Hanwha became a possibility. Hanwha has been sending Ryu a “love letter” since last year.
They had been working on the possibility of his return since he became eligible for free agency this offseason.
Ryu made his KBO debut in 2006 and was a monster in his first year.
With a 14-6 record and a 2.23 ERA, 스포츠토토 he became the first player to win the KBO’s Rookie of the Year and Regular Season MVP awards.
After seven seasons in the KBO, where he went 98-52-1 with a 2.80 ERA in 190 games, Ryu signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the postseason.
After signing a six-year, $36 million contract with the Dodgers, Ryu showed off his skills as the “Korean Monster,” winning 14 games in his first two years in the majors. Injuries to his shoulder and elbow followed, but his miraculous comeback established him as the epitome of human triumph.
He was at the peak of his powers in 2019, finishing second in the Cy Young Award, and was rewarded with a four-year, $80 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.
A healthy Ryu is considered the next Eric Pedroia, who won 20 games and struck out 200 batters for the NC Dinos last year. While his fastball has diminished from his prime, his ability to run a game based on his sharp stuff is one of the best in the majors.
The salary cap, which was the biggest issue, has also been calculated.
The team is planning to pay Kim Kwang-hyun the highest amount ever for an overseas player to return to Korea (15.1 billion won for four years), as well as Yang Yang-ji (15.2 billion won for 4+2 years), the highest-priced free agent contract. There is even talk that they could sign him for more than 20 billion won.
“There is a positive vibe going around,” said a Hanwha official, “and the major league offers are good. We are waiting for (Ryu) Hyun-jin’s decision.”
If Ryu were to don a Hanwha uniform, the organization would instantly become a top-five team, let alone a top-tier power. A solid foreign one-two punch is rounded out by Moon Dong-ju, who improved significantly last year. Ryu Hyun-jin is considered the best of the bunch. With a solid starting rotation, the team also added Ahn Chi-hong (4+2 years, 7.2 billion won total) to bolster its batting lineup ahead of the season.
The time is getting closer and closer for Ryu to return home to his family with a ‘big treat’.