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Los Angeles Dodgers: Why a huge pitching signing will happen this winter

By Jason Reed

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 15: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros pitches during the third inning against the New York Yankees in game three of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 15, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 15: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros pitches during the third inning against the New York Yankees in game three of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 15, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Dodgers
(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Dodgers /

1. Hyun-Jin Ryu likely won’t be a Dodger in 2020

Hyun-Jin Ryu was the best pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019 and was the best pitcher in all of baseball all year long. It is kind of ridiculous that there is even a discussion for the National League Cy Young as Ryu was head and shoulders above everyone else for most of the season.

He was on pace for record-setting lows before having a few shaky starts at the end of the year that inflated his ERA (albeit he still led the league). That, and a stellar last month from Jacob deGrom, is why this has even become a conversation.

Ryu is set to be a free agent this offseason, and although there are justifiable reasons to not offer him a large contract, pitching is a premium and there will be teams that are willing to take a big risk and sign Ryu to a large contract.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, will not be one of those teams. Not only is Ryu “past his prime” in terms of age (32, which is older than Clayton Kershaw!) but he has an injury history that makes it hard to commit to him long-term.

I don’t see the Dodgers giving Ryu anything more than a contract similar to Rich Hill‘s in the three-year, $50-60 million range. Anything over that is out of the Dodgers budget and there will be teams that are offering more than that.

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