The value of Ryu Hyun-jin (36, Toronto Blue Jays) is still solid. There were predictions in the United States that Ryu Hyun-jin would sign a contract with a major league team next season as well.
MLB Trade Rumors (MLBTR), a media outlet that covers transfer news in the U.S. Major League Baseball, said on the 6th (Korean time), "The offseason is starting to approach for the Toronto Blue Jays, who were eliminated from the postseason after losing to the Minnesota Twins," and said that the team is planning to leave the team. Along with the players, news on Ryu Hyun-jin was also covered.
MLBTR said, “Ryu Hyun-jin met with local U.S. reporters the day before (the 5th) and expressed his desire to remain in the U.S. Major League.”
MLBTR said, “Hyun-Jin Ryu has completed the final year of his four-year contract with Toronto worth a total of $80 million (approximately KRW 108 billion). Hyun-Jin Ryu began his career in Toronto as a finalist for the American League Cy Young Award in the 2020 season.”
He added, "Ryu Hyun-jin recorded an ERA of 4.37 and FIP (average ERA regardless of defense) of 4.02 in the 2021 season, and was absent for most of the 2022 and 2023 seasons due to elbow ligament joint surgery (Tommy John surgery)." Ryu Hyun-jin devoted himself to rehabilitation for about a year after undergoing elbow ligament joint surgery (Tommy John surgery) during the 2022 season.
MLBTR said, "Ryu Hyun-jin returned this season after surgery and made 11 starts, posting an ERA of 3.46. Left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin, who was 36 years old this year, played a total of 315 innings in Toronto, recording an ERA of 3.97 and an FIP of 4.02. ( Overall, the 36-year-old southpaw posted a 3.97 ERA and 4.02 FIP in 315 innings of work with the Blue Jays, including a 3.46 ERA across eleven starts this season after returning from surgery.”
MLBTR continued, "Ryu Hyun-jin told local reporters the day before that he hopes to continue pitching in the Major League in 2024. (Ryu confirmed to reporters yesterday that he hopes to continue pitching in MLB in 2024)." He gave a positive evaluation, saying, “It is still one of the options for free agent starting resources, and it seems reasonable to expect Ryu to find a big league deal somewhere.” Ben Nicholson-Smith of Canadian media Sportsnet also left a post on his SNS (social network service) on the 5th saying, "Ryu Hyun-jin wants to sign a contract with a major league team next season as well."
MLBTR said, "The veteran (Ryu Hyun-jin)'s injury history was quite long, but Ryu Hyun-jin was a pitcher who showed good performance when healthy after debuting with the LA Dodgers in 2013. Ryu Hyun-jin had a career ERA of 3.27 and FIP of 3.53, respectively. He emphasized, “He’s been effective when healthy since debuting with the Dodgers back in 2013, with a career 3.27 ERA and 3.53 FIP.”
The Toronto Blue Jays lost 0-2 in Game 2 of the 2023 American Major League Postseason American League Wild Card Series against the Minnesota Twins held at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA on the 5th. As a result, Toronto, which lost 1-3 in the first wild card game, suffered the bitter taste of elimination by recording two consecutive losses in the best-of-three wild card series. Toronto succeeded in advancing to the Wild Card Series last season, but was also eliminated after losing two consecutive games to the Seattle Mariners.
This postseason was likely to be a disappointment for Ryu Hyun-jin. Ryu Hyun-jin was excluded from the wild card series entry announced earlier and packed his bags without being able to play in the fall baseball league anymore. Toronto had Kevin Gausman and Jose Berrios as its starting players in this wild card series, with Chris Bassett and Yusei Kikuchi also listed as starters. However, as they were unable to lead the team to victory in the Wild Card Series, Ryu Hyun-jin's fall came to an end at the same time.
If Toronto won the wild card series and advanced to the best-of-five division series and best-of-seven championship series, there was hope that Ryu Hyun-jin could also play. If the series were to be longer, Ryu Hyun-jin would definitely have been worth utilizing. According to local American media, coach John Schneider also conveyed a message to local reporters in an interview that he was preparing normally for Ryu Hyun-jin. However, the result was a cold report card of being eliminated from the postseason.