10 million dollars even if he can't." Common U.S. outlook, size Hanwha can't afford
Ryu Hyun-jin's future, which ended his four-year, $80 million FA contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, attracts the most attention. Ryu Hyun-jin sees staying in the big league as a priority and is based on an annual salary of 10 million dollars. It is judged that 10 million dollars should be paid to be recognized as a starter and to be guaranteed a certain position.
Based on this standard, "Big Leaguer Ryu Hyun-jin" will not change next year regardless of which uniform he wears. John Heyman, a renowned U.S. reporter for the New York Post, predicted contracts for 16 players on the 3rd, saying, "Otani Shohei (elbow injury) and Julio Urias (domestic violence) left, but the major league FA starting pitcher market is solid this winter." Not only himself but also two anonymous experts, three predicted the size of the FA starters' contracts.
Ryu Hyun-jin was named the 15th of the 16 major FA starters. Regarding Ryu Hyun-jin, Hayman explained, "I will win a major league contract with a solid finish," and predicted $12 million per year. Expert 1 forecast $13 million per year and Expert 2 forecast $10 million per year including incentives.
Experts have a common view that they will be able to win a $10 million contract even if they don't. Another media outlet, "The Athletic" reporter Tim Britton, also predicted an FA pitcher contract on the 2nd based on the contract of FA players who have performed similarly with the fWAR over the past 10 years, and Ryu Hyun-jin is expected to receive $11 million a year.
The current exchange rate of 10 million dollars is 13.1 billion won in Korean money. It is 5 billion won more than Kim Kwang-hyun (SSG Landers), who received the highest annual salary in the KBO League last year. Ryu Hyun-jin's current value is not a size that the KBO League can handle.
Due to the salary cap (11.42638 billion won) of the team's total salary cap system introduced in the KBO League this year, it is not a situation where the former Hanwha Eagles can offer Ryu Hyun-jin an indefinitely high amount. Hanwha has 5 billion won to 6 billion won in free space, and even if the penalty is calculated if it exceeds one inning, Ryu Hyun-jin's large home discount is required to return.
Ryu Hyun-jin, who promised to return to Hanwha when he had power, is also opening up the possibility of returning to Korea. It is known that he has been tired of his more than 10 years of life in the U.S., and he also wants to play with his juniors when they are in good health. However, he is still a player in demand in the Major League, and given the realistic difference in amount, it is difficult to return to Hanwha unless he decides very much.
Hanwha is also closely monitoring the situation by contacting Ryu Hyun-jin behind the scenes. When Ryu Hyun-jin returns, one more foreign player will join. Along with the tremendous increase in team power, Hanwha is also expecting the impact of Ryu Hyun-jin on the team as the leader of the pitching staff. Due to the composition of the team with many young pitchers, the return of a top pitcher like Ryu Hyun-jin will have a great tangible and intangible power increase effect. But it's not easy to beat a major league evil that costs more than $10 million