Will ‘Korean Monster’ Ryu Hyun-jin (36) play in ‘Aldong (American League Eastern Division)’ again? Two destination candidate teams disappeared within three days.
Since the end of last year, the team most mentioned as a candidate for Ryu Hyun-jin's third Major League Baseball (MLB) team is the New York Mets. This is because the height of the starting lineup was lowered by trading Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, the league's leading pitchers and the team's highest-paid players ($43.33 million), ahead of the 2023 season trade deadline. Luis Severino and Adrian Hauser, who were recruited from the Stove League this winter, are also difficult to consider top pitchers. At this point, the first starter appears to be Japanese pitcher Kodai Senda. The addition of an experienced pitcher was needed. Unlike previous years, when the billionaire team owner (Steve Cohen) made extensive moves with the financial power, the fact that efficient investment was being considered also seemed to increase the possibility of Ryu Hyun-jin going to New York.
On the 8th (Korean time), the Mets recruited left-handed pitcher Sean Manea, who is five years younger than Ryu Hyun-jin. The period is 2 years and the total amount is 28 million dollars. He debuted with the Oakland Athletics in the 2016 season and was at his peak with double-digit wins in consecutive seasons in 2017 and 2018, but in the 2023 season, he was a pitcher with the San Francisco Giants who only pitched 117 and two-thirds innings, switching between starting and bullpen positions.
The New York Post, a media outlet that predicted the possibility of Ryu Hyun-jin going to the Mets just two days ago, said after Manea's contract with the Mets, "There remains a possibility that the Mets will add a pitcher to the starting rotation, but it is unclear whether Ryu Hyun-jin still remains on the radar." He said.
Originally, the Mets were filling the 5th starting spot. In order to strengthen depth, they wanted a pitcher with an annual salary of less than $100 million and an annual salary of $10 to $15 million. The possibility of additional recruitment seems low.
Although it was not included in the media's forecast, the San Francisco Giants also seemed to be a team that needed Ryu Hyun-jin. Although there was an ace named Logan Webb, the team was not deep enough for Ross Stripling, who once competed with Ryu Hyun-jin, to be the second or third starter. There is a left-handed pitcher named Kyle Harrison, but he was a prospect who debuted just before the extended entry was applied in September of last year. A scenario could also be used in which San Francisco, which recruited 'KBO League icon' Lee Jeong-hoo, possesses both representative Korean pitching and pitching players to increase its brand power in Korea and pursue additional profits.
San Francisco also strengthened its left-handed pitcher. They gave up Mitch Haniger, the team's highest-paid fielder, and Anthony Desclifani, the 4th and 5th starting pitcher, to the Seattle Mariners and recruited Robbie Ray, who won the Cy Young Award in the American League in the 2021 season. Ray is 4 years younger than Ryu Hyun-jin.
Teams that have been mentioned as interested in Ryu Hyun-jin in recent days include the Mets, San Diego Padres, Baltimore Orioles, and Boston Red Sox. First of all, the Mets were excluded from the candidates.
In Baltimore, the team's top prospect, Grayson Rodriguez, debuted in the 2023 season, and Kyle Bradish and Dean Kramer established themselves as solid first to third starters with 12 and 13 wins, respectively. Here, John Means, who was the number one starter until a few seasons ago, is expected to take over one position, and Tyler Wells and Cole Irvin are expected to compete for the position.
Baltimore's starting lineup is so young that the oldest, Means, was born in 1993. For that reason, the local media is viewing Ryu Hyun-jin, who has a lot of experience, as a candidate for recruitment. Kyle Gibson, born in 1987, who played in Baltimore in the 2023 season, played exactly that role. He signed a 1+1 year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals last month after winning 15 games in the 2023 regular season.
Boston had already recruited first-choice right-hander Lucas Giolito on the 30th of last month for a two-year total of $38.5 million (50 billion won). After Chris Sale left, he was a pitcher who was part of the Chicago White Sox's one-two punch. He went to Boston after going through the LA Angels and Cleveland Guardians ahead of becoming a free agent.
Boston is weak enough that third-year pitcher Brian Bello is considered the second starter. Nick Pivetta and Tanner Hauk are the 4th and 5th starters. The average ERA of the starting staff in the 2023 regular season was 4.68, ranking 22nd in the league. The fact that there is no left-handed pitcher in this starting lineup also matches well with Ryu Hyun-jin.
In terms of starting staff, San Diego, where ace Blake Snell has entered the free agent market, is in a similar situation to Boston. Yu Darvish is an experienced pitcher in MLB, but he is one year older than Ryu Hyun-jin.
On the 8th, MLB.com announced six players who should not be undervalued because they are big-time free agents. Infielder Brandon Belt, born in 1988, outfielder Tommy Pham, designated hitter JD Martinez, and pitcher Aroldis Chapman were listed in order, followed by pitcher Marcus Stroman, born in 1991, and outfielder Jorge Solaire, born in 1992. Belt, Martinez, and Chapman are players who are not inferior to Ryu Hyun-jin in terms of name value. Stroman, along with Snell, is considered a major free agent. The fact that Ryu Hyun-jin is not mentioned in this list provides a glimpse into the current market trend.
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