Pitching for the Hanwha Eagles in the KBO, he inked a record-breaking eight-year contract worth over $12 million US.

From Jeeho Yoo’s social media posts:

It’s possible that Ryu won’t fulfill his obligations under the contract because he will turn 37 in March, but more power to him if he wants to play until he turns 45 in his native country.

Ryu has a career record of 78-48 and played for the Dodgers and Blue Jays for ten years in the major leagues. With a stellar 3.27 ERA, he was the MLB leader in ERA (2.32) in 2019.

In addition, he won double-digit games in four different seasons and was named to the All-Star squad that same season.

Major League interest was shown in Ryu this summer, even though it was evident that he wanted to go back home to Korea. For example, we heard about him recently in relation to the San Diego Padres. But by returning to Korea, he assures himself of a more prominent position on a staff, more money, and the opportunity to make a pitch in front of the same audiences that helped launch his stellar career