Los Angeles Dodgers: Four teams that may sign away Hyun-Jin Ryu
By Jason Reed
After a career season, Hyun-Jin Ryu’s time with the Los Angeles Dodgers may be coming to a close as the Korean southpaw is a free agent this winter.
Hyun-Jin Ryu made a very surprising decision last winter: he accepted the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ qualifying offer. Now, after a career-year in which he will be a finalist for the National League Cy Young Award, that gamble appears to be paying off for Ryu.
Ryu is a free agent this winter and there is a good chance that he does not re-sign with the Dodgers. With his injury past as well as the fact that he is already 32 years old, the Dodgers likely are not going to match the big dollar signs that other teams that need pitching will offer him.
The Dodgers already have a deep pitching staff and can afford to lose Ryu. The Dodgers will likely set a hard offer and not waver, despite the offers that Ryu gets from other teams.
The most I see the Dodgers giving Ryu is something around three years for $65 million, which is slightly more than they gave Rich Hill a few years ago. Ryu is a better pitcher than Hill and is younger than Hill was when he signed that new contract, hence the increase.
However, it is still hard to see the Dodgers coming anywhere close to the $100 million mark and there will be teams that offer that to Ryu.
So, who are the suitors for Hyun-Jin Ryu? Every team in the MLB could use him but here are the five teams that actually might make a play for the Korean southpaw this winter.