” Why has Ryu Hyun-jin been mentioned as a candidate for the Mets?
What will Ryu Hyun-jin do next season? Amid various discussions locally, the New York Mets were mentioned as a possible option to recruit Ryu Hyun-jin.
American media outlet Yadbacher said on the 13th (Korean time), “The Mets have had a historically disappointing season. Now they are starting with a new front office, and I hope for good results. They are unlikely to be aggressive this winter, but to what extent?” predicted.
The Mets invested a huge amount of money last winter and became the highest-paid club, but when they opened the lid, they showed the worst results. With 74 wins and 88 losses, a winning percentage of 0.457, they finished fourth in the National League’s Eastern Division and were eliminated early from the fall baseball season.
In particular, they boasted of the tremendous power of their starting lineup. Last season, he joined hands with Justin Verlander, the biggest free agent, on a two-year contract worth $86.66 million (approximately 110.5 billion won), and succeeded in forming a ‘Cy Young Award’ one-two punch with Max Scherzer. A five-year, $75 million (approximately KRW 95.7 billion) contract was signed with Kodai Senga, a Japanese pitcher who challenged the Major League through the posting system.
However, Scherzer and Verlander moved to Texas and Houston, respectively, through trades.
In this way, the one-two punch disappeared. Therefore, the Mets need a starting pitcher for next season. Ryu Hyun-jin’s name was mentioned as one of the recruitment candidates.
“I don’t know how aggressive the Mets will be in the market, but there is clearly work to be done. Senga Kodai has become a mainstay in the starting rotation. Jose Quintana has missed many games due to injury. He must take on a mid-starting position. What happens after that? “This is unclear,” he said, referring to the current situation.
“We need 2-3 starting pitchers. Considering that 2024 is considered a transition season, we will not recruit big name pitchers like Blake Snell or Aaron Nola,” he said. “Because Yoshinobu Yamamoto is 25 years old. You could consider it for the future, but maybe target lower-level free agents like Frankie Montas, Luis Severino, or even veteran pitchers like Kenta Maeda or Hyun-jin Ryu, who could help your team compete next year. “They may sign a short-term contract knowing that they may be traded if they are pushed out of the competition,” he pointed out.
Ryu Hyun-jin’s season ended early last year due to elbow ligament joint surgery (Tommy John surgery), and he returned in August this season. And he had a successful comeback season. He started 11 games this season and recorded 3 wins, 3 losses, and an average ERA of 3.46.
First of all, Ryu Hyun-jin has completed his first year back well. As he enters his second year back from Tommy John surgery, his physical condition improves. For that reason, Ryu Hyun-jin’s value cannot be ignored.
BY: 배트맨토토