Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu has continued to pitch well since his return, leading to optimism that he will re-sign with Toronto.
The right-hander pitched five innings of one-run ball against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on April 2, giving up four hits and striking out two.먹튀검증
In six games since his return, he’s gone 3-1 with a 2.48 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP and a .213 batting average in 29 innings, showing off his “Vintage Ryu” credentials. It’s safe to say he’s bouncing back from a Tommy John surgery.
Toronto took a 4-2 lead in the top of the sixth inning before the bullpen gave up a run that cost Ryu his fourth win of the season, but the offense exploded again in the seventh to take a 13-9 lead and win their second straight game. Toronto remains a threat in the AL wild-card race, going 5-1 in the six games Hyun-jin Ryu has pitched in the second half. The Jays are 1.5 games back of the third wild-card spot, the Texas Rangers.
If Toronto earns a wild-card berth and makes the postseason, Ryu will likely earn a starting spot. That’s because he’s pitched as well as any starter in the second half of the season.
Ace Kevin Gausman is 3-3 with a 4.08 ERA in his last seven starts, Jose Berrios is 1-4 with a 4.14 ERA in nine starts, and Chris Bassett is 5-2 with a 3.07 ERA in nine starts. Japanese pitcher Yusei Kikuchi has been the standout performer of the second half, going 2-1 with a 2.36 ERA in eight games.
Teams typically use four starters in the postseason, although this varies from team to team. Based on his second-half performance, it’s likely that Ryu will be part of the four-man rotation in fall ball. Of course, we don’t know if Toronto will make it to fall ball, but it could be another opportunity for Ryu to prove his worth.
However, of the five starters currently in the rotation, four of them are under contract beyond next year. Ryu is the only one who will be a free agent. If the Jays don’t pick up Ryu in free agency, they’ll have to hope Alec Manoa comes back to life or bring in another free agent starter.
But there are few resources that can guarantee the experience, stability, and bang for the buck that Ryu brings to the table, and that doesn’t mean Toronto can afford to break the bank again to acquire an ace starter. After spending $80 million over four years on Ryu four years ago, the Jays have since spent big on Berrios (seven years, $130 million), Gaussman (five years, $115 million), Kikuchi (three years, $36 million) and Bassett (three years, $63 million).
The top starting pitchers on the free agent market later this year include Aaron Nola, Julio Urias, and Blake Snell, who could command at least $100 million. Unlike those players, Ryu could get a one- or two-year deal, according to local media outlets.
The Jays Journal, a Toronto fan media outlet, wrote on the day of Ryu’s appearance, “There are several question marks hanging over the Toronto rotation next season. Alec Manoa’s struggles are particularly evident,” and emphasized that “Ryu’s strong play thus far makes the idea of re-signing him a realistic possibility.
Of course, it would be a mistake to assume that Ryu’s market demand is limited to Toronto. Depending on how he pitches over the next month, his demand could skyrocket. Even if he’s not an “innings eater” who can go six or seven innings at will, there are few starters on the market who can reliably go five innings.