The fact that the Toronto Blue Jays recruited free agent Chris Bassett (33) on the 13th (Korean time) is an incident that officially classified Ryu Hyun-jin as ‘out of power’ for next season.
Bassitt agreed to a three-year, $63 million contract on the same day, and sat down on a money cushion 8 years after his major league debut. Bassitt made 30 starts for the New York Mets this year, recording a career high of 15-9 with a 3.42 ERA. He threw 181⅔ innings and passed regulation innings for the first time.
After 2018, he ranked 11th with an ERA of 3.29 among pitchers who have started more than 100 games in the last five years. ESPN said, “Toronto has strengthened its rotation by recruiting a pitcher with the most consistent performance in the major leagues over the past five years.” It was evaluated as having the third highest average annual salary.
At the same time, ESPN said, “Hyeon-jin Ryu, who was brought to Toronto for 4 years and 80 million dollars before the 2020 season, produced excellent results in the shortened corona season that year, but fell into a slump in 2021 and received Tommy John surgery six months ago.” Ryu Hyun-jin underwent surgery to reconstruct ligaments in his left elbow in June and will have to rehabilitate until next summer.
In an interview with Canadian media Sportsnet on the last day of this season, Toronto general manager Ross Atkins said, “The best scenario is to return in 12 to 13 months. It will be slightly past the middle of the regular season next year, but in reality it will be later “he said.
As a result, Toronto can use Kevin Gaussman, Alec Manoa, Jose Berrios, and Bassit brought this time as starters 1 to 4, and the 5th starter can be recruited from outside or entrusted to Yusei Kikuchi, Mitch White, and “Number One” prospect Ricky Tidman. Whatever the method, Ryu Hyun-jin is not in the rotation next year. Even if he returns in the second half, it is unknown whether he will recover his skills and join the rotation.
After all, he may not see a Korean pitcher on the major league mound after next year. Since Park Chan-ho in 1994, the period in which a Korean big leaguer pitcher has not been active is only two seasons, 2011-2012. In the ‘Park Chan-ho era’, amateur players such as Kim Byung-hyun, Seo Jae-eung, Kim Seon-woo, and Cho Jin-ho, and KBO league players such as Lee Sang-hoon and Koo Dae-seong were mixed. In the ‘Ryu Hyun-jin era’, KBO graduates such as Lim Chang-yong, Oh Seung-hwan, Kim Kwang-hyun and Yang Hyeon-jong stepped on the mound in the big leagues. 스포츠토토
Hyun-il Choi is the only Korean pitcher currently active in the minor leagues, belonging to Single A+ affiliated with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Choi Hyun-il suffered an arm injury after appearing in the first game in April and took a break for almost the entire season. After the season, he participated in the Arizona Fall League and announced his recovery. He appeared in nine games, won one, and threw 13⅓ innings, posting an earned run average of 5.40. However, it will take a considerable amount of time for Choi Hyun-il to rise to the major leagues. He has to go through a single A+ followed by a double A and then a triple A.
On the other hand, the entry of Japanese pitchers into the major leagues is hot enough to become a hot topic every offseason. Pitchers looking to make it to the major leagues this winter include Kodai Senga and Shintaro Fujinami. Senga recently fulfilled his big-league dream by signing a five-year, $75 million contract with the Mets. Clubs are also reacting hotly to Fujinami, who entered the posting process. Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, and San Francisco Giants are expected destinations.
If this happens, the number of Japanese pitchers to be named in the major league opening entry for next season is Yu Darvish (San Diego), Kenta Maeda (Minnesota), Shohei Otani (LA Angels), Yusei Kikuchi (Toronto), and Sengawa Fujinami, totaling six. Prospect. It is now the golden age of Japanese pitchers.