On Feb. 20, 2024, Jehoo Yoo, via Twitter, announced that left-handed pitcher Hyun Jin Ryu will make his long-anticipated return to the KBO after ten years in MLB. He will rejoin the Hanwha Eagles on a reported four-year, $12.8 million deal (approximately 17 billion won), becoming the highest-paid player in KBO history. Ryu commenced his professional baseball career with the Eagles in 2006 and pitched for them until 2012, when he signed with the LA Dodgers. During his time with the Eagles, Ryu excelled, winning Rookie of the Year and MVP honors in 2006 at 19 years old, and maintaining a 2.80 ERA in his seven years there.
Photo Cred: KBO_ENG on twitter
He earned All-Star status each year and finished with a 98-52 record. Ryu’s return to his original international club follows a pattern observed with foreign players either concluding their careers or extending them as long as possible. He joins players such as Shin-Soo Choo and Masahiro Tanaka who have previously done the same. After a season marred by injury, where he made only 11 starts and pitched to a 3.46 ERA for the Toronto Blue Jays, Ryu has experienced considerable success in Major League Baseball.
He began his American baseball career by signing with the LA Dodgers after the 2012 season, inking a six-year, $36 million contract, and immediately achieving success comparable to his time in the KBO. Ryu made 30 starts with a 3.00 ERA and finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting. Spending just six years with the Dodgers, his best season came in his final year with the team, posting an MLB-best 2.32 ERA and finishing second in Cy Young voting.
Photo Cred: The Score
Following this season, Ryu signed a contract sending him to the Blue Jays for four years and $80 million. In his first year under this contract, the shortened 2020 season, Ryu continued his strong performance, making 12 starts and ending with a 2.69 ERA, placing third in Cy Young voting. However, the subsequent year marked a downturn in his career.
In 2021, Ryu made 31 starts but posted a 4.37 ERA, his worst in a full MLB season since entering the league. His performance continued to decline, and in 2022, he made just six starts with a 5.67 ERA before being sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a torn UCL, necessitating Tommy John surgery. He missed most of the 2023 season as well, returning at the end to make 11 starts, posting a 3-3 record with a 3.46 ERA.
Photo Cred: ESPN
His main challenge upon return was maintaining consistency and stamina during games, averaging just over four innings of work in his 11 starts. Although statistically still an above-average pitcher with a 123 ERA+, Ryu struggled to recapture the form that made him dominant earlier in his career. Ryu became a free agent after the 2023 season at 36 years old. The Hanwha Eagles seized the opportunity to acquire a team legend.
Following a 58-80 season in 2023, where they missed the Korean League postseason for the fifth consecutive year and the 15th time in the past 16 seasons, the team saw Ryu’s return as a chance to bring in veteran assistance and ignite the team. Ryu ranks as the second-best Korean-born player in MLB history according to WAR (20.1), trailing only Shin-Soo Choo (34.6). He is listed as the 52nd best free agent on the market according to Bleacher Report and is returning to his home country for a record-breaking price.
