It has been argued that FA Ryu Hyun-jin must accept a one-year contract to save a new team. 룸알바
Jim Boden, who served as general manager of the Cincinnati Reds as The Athletic columnist, mentioned Ryu Hyun-jin for the eighth time in an article titled “Remaining FA Top 10: Where to Contract” on the 14th (Korea Standard Time) and claimed, “Ryu apples to be healthy but have to accept a one-year contract because he looks healthy but is at risk of injury.”
Until now, local media have offered a one-year or one-plus-year contract with options for Ryu Hyun-jin’s expected contract size. According to the estimates of local watershed media in November last year, when the FA market opened, Borden was $8 million for a year, $11 million for a year for Team Britain reporter for the same media, $12 million for a year for MLB Network John Hayman, and $14 million for two years for ESPN. ESPN lowered its average salary to $7 million instead of expecting a two-year contract.
Ryu Hyun-jin had Tommy John Surgery in June 2022 and returned to the team in early August last year after a year and three months of rehabilitation. Ryu, who seemed highly unlikely to make a comeback as he underwent the same surgery for the first time in 18 years since his second year of high school, pitched 52 innings in 11 games, posting 3 wins and 3 losses, 3.46 ERA and 38 strikeouts.
Shortly after the World Series ended last year, agent Scott Boras said, “Many Major League teams contacted me and expressed great interest in Ryu when his four-year, 80-million-dollar contract with the Toronto Blue Jays ended and he became an FA again. Ryu will throw the ball in the Major League next year. He will not return to Korea,” expressing confidence in negotiations. However, three months have passed since the opening of the spring training, raising doubts about Ryu’s possibility to stay in the Major League.
Consequently, speculation is mounting that no team has visited Ryu so far, and that he may have only received a one-year contract offer. Boden revealed his thoughts on this.
“Ryu Hyun-jin, who returned from Tommy John surgery, has allowed fewer than three runs in nine of the 11 games, pitched five innings six times and six innings one time. His fastball speed was 87-89 miles, and he recorded a change-up hit ratio of 0.276 and a cutter hit ratio of 0.238,” Borden said after introducing his return season performance, “It is wise to accept a one-year contract and sign a contract with a team that will not compete for the playoffs.”
In other words, they argue that they should sign with a team that cannot win 50% rather than strong teams such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres and New York Mets.
Borden explained the reason, “If Ryu Hyun-jin goes to a weak team and throws the first half of this season as well as the second half of last year, he could be traded to a strong team at the trade deadline.” In other words, there will be a team that needs a starter this summer, so feel free to throw and wait for a “love call” from a team with weak power.
Borden predicted, “Teams such as the Fire Ritz, Nationals, and Athletics are good, and strong teams such as the Yankees, Brewers, and Cardinals, who have a high risk of injury, old, or clear decline, will be able to recruit him.”