It was expected that South Korean pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu will capitalize on his All-Star campaign in 2019, and that’s just what happened. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Ryu agreed to a four-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Ryu, who spent his entire MLB career with Los Angeles Dodgers, will reportedly earn $80 million over the course of his deal. He sparked a lot of interest from other teams in the free agency, with Los Angeles Angels reportedly also making him a big offer.
Ryu had a great 2019, being one of the best pitchers in the National League. The 32-year-old left-hander played 29 games this past season, having 2.32 ERA, which was best in NL. He also added 163 strikeouts for a record of 14-5.
Although these performances should guarantee Hyun-Jin Ryu an even bigger deal, there were concerns about his health among MLB teams. Since making his majors debut in 2013, Ryu only played three full seasons. He was forced to miss the entire 2015 with back and shoulder issues while playing just one game in 2016 and missing significant time in 2018.
Ryu’s MLB career stats include 54–33 record with 2.98 ERA and 660 strikeouts.
