The Toronto Blue Jays have signed pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu to a four year, $80 million contract. The South Korean southpaw had a career year with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019 finishing runner up in NL Cy Young balloting to Jacob deGrom. Ryu, 32, went 14-5 with a NL leading 2.32 ERA in 29 starts.
Yet I question the wisdom of this contract which is the third largest in team history after Vernon Wells and Russell Martin. I question it because of Ryu's injury history. After two 14 win campaigns in 2013 and 2014, Ryu missed the entire 2015 season and nearly the entire 2016 season with a torn shoulder labrum. Ryu also missed significant other time in 2017 and 2018 due to groin and hamstring issues. Even this past season, Ryu had an IL stint as a sore neck forced him to miss two starts. Notwithstanding his outstanding 2019, the odds of Ryu not spending time on the IL while in a Jays uniform are slim to none. The Jays may come to Ryu this signing.
On the other hand, Toronto has added two other veteran starting pitchers - Chase Anderson whom they acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers and free agent pitcher Tanner Roark. A rotation of Ryu, Anderson, Roark and holdovers Trent Thornton and Jacob Waguespack will probably see the Jays win more than 67 games in 2020. If David Price returns to Canadian soil they could be a viable AL Wild Card pick. But I don't see Ryu as an ace.
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