, is making a highly anticipated return to the Hanwha Eagles.){kind=link}
Ryu Hyun Jin, a towering figure in Major League Baseball (MLB), is making a highly anticipated return to the Hanwha Eagles, his original KBO League team. As of March 21, negotiations are nearing completion, with an imminent official announcement.
Ryu’s comeback is poised to significantly impact the KBO League, stirring excitement and anticipation across the baseball community.
Ryu Hyun Jin, who debuted in Hanwha in 2006, achieved 98 wins until 2012 and then moved to the United States. Despite initial doubts about his ability to succeed in the U.S., he proved himself with his skills.
He greatly kicked off his MLB career by winning 14 out of 30 games in his first season with the LA Dodgers, and until last year, he achieved a total of 78 wins.
Ryu, who was expected to be successful in the U.S. for at least another 1-2 years, couldn’t negotiate satisfactorily due to the bleak free agency market and eventually chose to return to Korea.
Despite being in his mid-30s and having undergone surgery three times in the U.S., there are no questions over Ryu’s current skills.
The consensus is that Ryu, a starting pitcher in the MLB as of last year, will dominate upon returning to Korea.
Ryu’s addition is a significant boost for the Hanwha Eagles, who have struggled recently, finishing last from 2020 to 2022 and ninth last year. With Ryu on board, Hanwha is now viewed as a top-five contender.
The anticipation surrounding Ryu’s return has also introduced tension among rival teams, particularly the LG Twins, defending their championship title with a strong lineup. Ryu’s impressive record against LG, with 21 wins, brands him as a formidable opponent, raising concerns within the LG camp about facing him again. While past performance does not always indicate future results, Ryu’s history suggests that his presence on the mound could pose a significant challenge for the LG Twins and other KBO teams.
The KIA Tigers, regarded as one of this year’s “top three” teams alongside LG and KT Wiz, have historically lost 15 games to Ryu. For them to ascend in the rankings, overcoming their unfavorable record against Ryu is crucial.
On the other hand, KT was founded after Ryu left for the U.S., so they have no head-to-head record.
This lack of history puts a unique twist on the dynamics, especially since two out of the three teams pegged as championship contenders have struggled against Ryu in the past.
Mid-tier teams like the Lotte Giants, Samsung Lions, SSG Landers, and Doosan Bears, while each may react differently, are generally not enthused about Ryu’s return to the KBO.
Particularly, the Lotte Giants, who have conceded 17 wins to Ryu, are eager to move past those defeats to secure a postseason spot for the first time in seven years since 2017.
KT’s manager, Lee Kang Chul, currently at a spring camp in Korea, voiced his wariness regarding Ryu’s condition and jokingly expressed hope that Ryu wouldn’t debut against his team. This mix of anticipation and concern highlights the significant impact Ryu Hyun Jin’s return is expected to have on the dynamics and competitive landscape of the KBO League.
eggod6112@news1.kr