Whether free agent left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin will sign a contract is still a topic of interest even in the United States. As major league clubs are actively making offers to veteran starting pitchers, there is a steady forecast that Ryu Hyun-jin will easily be able to sign a one-year contract.
The American sports media ‘The Athletic’ checked the contract status of the top 40 free agents at the end of the winter meeting on the 8th (Korean time). The top 40 free agents were selected through a combination of data analysis and opinions from The Athletic staff members Keith Law, Tim Britton, Aaron Gleeman, Eno Sarris, and Jim Bowden. Ryu Hyun-jin ranked 36th. Britton ranked Ryu Hyun-jin at 36th, Sarris at 27th, and Bowden at 35th, while Law and Gleeman ranked Ryu outside the rankings. Anyway, after combining the opinions of the five people, I ended up in the top 40.
The Athletic predicted that Ryu Hyun-jin could still receive a one-year contract worth $11 million (about 14.3 billion won). Three teams, including the Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, and New York Mets, were selected as teams that would be a good fit for Ryu Hyun-jin. These are teams that need to reinforce their starting pitchers. 먹튀검증
As two out of five people viewed Ryu Hyun-jin outside the rankings, the current evaluation of Ryu Hyun-jin is not all favorable. Turning 37 next year and having undergone Tommy John surgery last year are clearly obstacles.
However, Ryu Hyun-jin’s agent, Scott Boras, is confident in the major leagues. Ahead of the Winter Meetings, Boras expressed confidence, saying, “Big league clubs are still showing a significant level of interest. Ryu Hyun-jin will pitch in the major leagues next year, not in Korea.”
The Athletic said, ‘Ryu Hyun-jin boasts a long history of injuries, having pitched more than 100 innings only three times in the past eight seasons, but he remained surprisingly effective until his mid-30s. While signing a four-year, $80 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays (just before the 2020 season), he started 60 games and recorded an ERA of 3.97. As he turns 37, he will almost certainly be pushed into free agency with a one-year contract, and will be tasked with supporting a solid player in the starting rotation.’
A little more emphasis was placed on ambiguous situations that were neither too hopeful nor too desperate, or negative opinions. The Athletic said, ‘Ryu Hyun-jin’s average fastball speed last season was 88.6 mph, making him one of the slowest among major league starting pitchers. However, if he is healthy and throws at top speed, it is possible to go over 90 mph. Ryu Hyun-jin succeeded in almost the same way he has done so far. While barely utilizing the strike zone, right-handed batters fought with a changeup and sometimes a curveball. Still, he added, “It is questionable whether Ryu Hyun-jin can ride the upward trend.”
Ryu Hyun-jin has so far avoided making any specific comments regarding the contract. He is currently staying in Korea and leaving negotiations with major league clubs to Boras. Ryu Hyun-jin cautiously predicted that his outline would be out around mid-December after his Winter Meetings, and he is approaching that time. Veteran starting pitchers such as Kenta Maeda (Detroit), Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson (St. Louis) have announced 1-2 year contracts, so Ryu Hyun-jin is also looking forward to it.
