Choo Shin-soo, a venerable figure in Major League Baseball who now plays for the SSG Landers in South Korea, his home country, has extended his support to Ryu Hyun-jin, a fellow big leaguer, as Ryu prepares for his much-anticipated return to the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) League.
Ryu, who moved from the Hanwha Eagles to the LA Dodgers in 2013, returns to his home team after 12 years. After becoming a free agent after the 2023 season, Ryu Hyun-jin chose to make a surprise move to Hanwha.
As of the afternoon of the 21st, the final details are being worked out, and an official announcement is expected soon.
Ryu’s return is set to intensify the competition among South Korea’s top left-handed pitchers, which includes players like Kim Kwang-hyun of the SSG Landers and Yang Hyeon-jong of the KIA Tigers.
The matchups between Choo Shin-soo, a seasoned major leaguer, and pitchers like Ryu Hyun-jin are also drawing significant interest.
Choo Shin-soo, who has hit 218 home runs in the Major Leagues, has a notable history with Ryu.
They faced off when Ryu joined the Dodgers, and Choo was with the Cincinnati Reds in 2013.
In that encounter, Choo Shin-soo recorded no hit in 2 at-bats, 1 strikeout, and 1 walk against Ryu Hyun-jin. They never met again, and their connection seemed to have been severed when Choo Shin-soo moved to SSG in 2021.
However, with Ryu Hyun-jin’s return to the KBO League, baseball fans will be able to see them face off again after 11 years.
Choo Shin-soo, currently sweating at SSG’s spring camp in Florida, USA, was delighted to hear about Ryu Hyun-jin’s return.
Through his team, Choo Shin-soo said, “It’s not easy to live in a foreign country, but Ryu Hyun-jin has done a great job for a long time. I’m looking forward to playing with him in Korea.”
He continued, “The level of the KBO League will rise when Ryu Hyun-jin, who has experienced a high-level league, returns. I’m looking forward to the league’s success. I hope he shares a lot of what he experienced in the US with his juniors in Korea. I hope he works with us for the development of Korean baseball.”
Meanwhile, SSG and Hanwha will have their first regular season face-off from the 26th to the 28th of next month at Incheon SSG Landers Field. Depending on the operation of Hanwha’s pitching staff, there could be a face-off between Ryu Hyun-jin and Choo Shin-soo.
eggod6112@news1.kr