As the free agency period moves along, there are a few big names still available on the market, looking for the right team to make them an offer they cannot refuse. With the winter of 2019-20 looking a lot better financially for most players than the offseason of 2018, starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu is seeing an increase his list of potential suitors.
According to both Jon Heyman and Jon Morosi, the former Los Angeles Dodgers left-handed starter is being courted by a plethora of teams, with some having an extensive pedigree of playoff appearances in the past few seasons on their docket.
In no order, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, Atlanta Braves, Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers, and St. Louis Cardinals all have varying interest in the 2018 Cy Young candidate. Ryu, who has pitched for the Dodgers since coming over from South Korea in 2013, would instantly become a team’s ace starter regardless of where he signs; a testament to the type of impact he's already had in his MLB career.
For the Dodgers, their interest in bringing back what has been one of their best rotation signings in a while is obvious, but their lack of dedicated interest in getting a deal with Ryu as soon as the offseason began was odd. Ryu is familiar with the Dodgers and how they do business. If he were to sign a four-plus-year deal, then he would most likely end up finishing his MLB career with the same team that he began it with.
The Twins, who lost out on their reported pursuit of another left-handed starting pitcher, Madison Bumgarner, brought back both Michael Pineda and Jake Odorizzi for 2020 and beyond. Pineda, who will be suspended until the middle of May for taking a banned diuretic, was brought back on a two year, $20 million deal. Odorizzi bet on himself for this upcoming season and accepted the $17.8 million Qualifying Offer.
As dominant as the Twins did look last year, capped off by winning the American League Central divisional crown, their struggles down the stretch and into the playoffs held back what had the makings of one of the franchise’s best seasons ever. If they were to bring in their third starting pitcher of the offseason in Ryu, they again should be considered a top finisher in the Central division.
A team that should continue its run, especially with the Cleveland Indians shipping out Corey Kluber; the Chicago White Sox looking like they are just beginning to enter into a window of potential contention; and both the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals having trouble navigating their respective rebuilds.
The Atlanta Braves are in the market to fill the gap of a left-handed starter with Dallas Keuchel having reentered free agency after a year. While the Braves have not ruled out bringing back the former Houston Astros ace, it looks as though their interest is in other players, specifically Ryu.
He would represent an older player on their youthful roster, something they could benefit from, especially when it comes to the postseason. With how talented but young their roster is, Ryu could be that final piece that pushes them over-the-top.
The Texas Rangers, who have been tied to Ryu since the beginning of free agency, look to have cooled on the thought of Ryu coming to Texas. Likely in reaction to their recent acquisition of Indians’ ace Corey Kluber for a very underwhelming package of players. If the price is right, the Rangers would probably still have an interest, but it looks as though they may be out on Ryu.
The Cardinals were the team that Morosi directly cited as showing interest in Ryu, and he would make a ton of sense for this National League Central divisional crown-winning franchise. Stealing Ryu away from a fellow NL playoff participant would be huge, and adding him to an already stacked rotation would be the icing on the cake.
The final team on this rumored list is also the team that looks to be the farthest away from competing for a divisional title or a postseason spot, the Toronto Blue Jays. With their young roster comprised of players like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., and Cavan Biggio, Ryu’s role on this team would not be hard to see, but maybe hard to understand.
A veteran presence on a young team is always needed (see Braves, Atlanta), but for a team that is two-plus seasons away from even threatening for a berth as a Wild Card team, his reason for signing north of the border would most likely rely on monetary reasons.
Wherever Ryu decides to sign, a team would be very smart to bring him into the fold and immediately plug him in as one of their two best starters in their rotation. Even though Ryu will have just turned 33-years-old a few days before Opening Day 2020, his impact on any MLB franchise should still be felt.
By remaining healthy for the vast majority of his MLB career, Ryu’s value looks to be going up, even as his age does too. He has proven that he can handle even the toughest of situations, and adding him to a contending team like the Braves, Cardinals, or even in a return to the Dodgers would be a great move going forward.
Teams have not been scared to offer up big money for players this offseason. Why Ryu remains on the free-agent market remains to be seen, but any team that signs him may be able to get him on a slight discount, which could eventually turn into the best signing of the offseason.
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