Long-term contracts are the realm of gambling. In order to catch a good player, you have to offer that much money, and the contract period is bound to increase accordingly. However, the longer the contract period, the greater the uncertainty about the future.
Toronto, which had to redefine the starting rotation, signed a four-year, $80 million contract with Ryu Hyun-jin (36) ahead of the 2020 season. Ryu Hyun-jin performed well enough to rank third in the 2020 American League Cy Young Award voting, and Toronto learned the taste of ‘Ace’. The grades in 2021 weren’t that bad either. However, as he underwent elbow ligament joint surgery (Tommy John surgery) in June 2022, the evaluation of this contract also changed considerably.
While Ryu Hyun-jin was absent, Toronto has built its own starting rotation. However, expectations for a ‘healthy’ Ryu Hyun-jin remain. If he has shown that level even with elbow pain, there is an expectation that Ryu Hyun-jin, who has all this problem solved, will be able to pitch better.
North American sports media’The Athletic’ also looked at Ryu Hyun-jin’s contract on the 8th (Korean time) and said,’Ryu Hyun-jin was limited to six starts in 2022, and has not played once since June 1st. And that month, he underwent Tommy John surgery and is hoping to return this season. It’s a really unfortunate situation,’ he said, ‘Ryu Hyun-jin is a great pitcher’ while organizing the past.
Toronto’s starting rotation is somewhat full, so the possibility of a trade is mentioned, but ‘The Athletic’ predicts that the possibility is not high. Above all, it is expected that the negotiation itself will be difficult due to the right to refuse trade, and having Ryu Hyun-jin will be beneficial to Toronto’s current power building.
This medium is ‘Is there an exit? It is quite difficult. Of course, only one team needs to ask (the contract). And they will have to receive a considerable amount in the process’, but ‘but Ryu Hyun-jin can block (trade) deals with 8 teams (means veto). And having him is also a good option.” 안전놀이터
Anyway, Ryu Hyun-jin’s contract with Toronto expires at the end of this year. Not many teams are willing to trade Ryu Hyun-jin, who has just returned from injury. Here, the Toronto coaching staff see Ryu Hyun-jin, who will return from injury, as a surefire force. This is symbolized by Toronto coach John Schneider’s assertion during spring training, “When Ryu Hyun-jin returns in the second half, he will immediately enter the starting rotation.”
Ryu Hyun-jin is currently undergoing the rehabilitation phase smoothly, and if it goes according to plan, the goal is to start minor league rehabilitation in June and return in July. Although not his full-time season, he has plenty of time to prove himself. Toronto, which is embarrassed by the continued sluggishness of Jose Berrios and the sluggish start of Chris Bassitt, should also have a lot of starters. It is even more so if it is veteran Ryu Hyun-jin.