The Toronto Blue Jays ended the 2023 season by losing Game 2 of the American League Wild Card Series against the Minnesota Twins on October 5 (Korean time). Ryu Hyun-jin, who signed a four-year, $80 million contract with Toronto prior to the 2020 season, has also reached the end of his time in Toronto.

“Ryu Hyun-jin wants to sign with a major league club.” It is said that Ryu Hyun-jin wants to remain in the major league rather than return to Korea.

Ryu Hyun-jin, born in 1987, is already 36 years old. He has previously announced his intention to retire from his home team, the Hanwha Eagles of the KBO League. As he will turn 37 when the next season opens, there were expectations that his return to the KBO league was imminent. Except for his first year in Toronto, he did not have outstanding results, so interest was inevitably focused on whether he would ‘return to Korea’.

But I still want the major leagues. Hyun-Jin Ryu, who ranked third in American League Cy Young Award voting in 2020, performed poorly in the 2021 season and underwent Tommy John surgery in 2022, but successfully returned this year. Although he finished the season sluggish at the end of the season and unable to reach the postseason stage, he received favorable reviews by recording an ERA of 3.46 in 11 games after returning from Tommy John surgery.

MLB Trade Rumors (MLBTR) said about Ryu Hyun-jin on the 6th, “It seems reasonable to expect Ryu Hyun-jin to sign a contract with a major league club. Ryu Hyun-jin has been an effective pitcher when healthy since his debut in the big league in 2013.” “Given his performance after his return, he can expect to be offered a one-year contract,” he said.

Attention is focused on where Ryu Hyun-jin will head after finishing his time in Toronto.

Source: 와이즈토토