MLB LOOK AHEAD

Jays to sign Ryu for four years, $80 million

Field Level Media

December 23, 2019 at 5:33 am.

Left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu has agreed to a four-year contract worth $80 million, according multiple reports Sunday night.

Ryu, who matched his career high with 14 wins last season and led both leagues with a 2.32 ERA, had been rumored to be in talks with the Blue Jays after spending his first six MLB seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Ryu is 54-33 with a 2.98 ERA in 126 games, all but one of them as a starter. After the 2018 season, Ryu accepted a qualifying offer from the Dodgers, a one-year contract worth $17.9 million.

Durability has been raised as a concern for the 32-year-old, who missed all of the 2015 season and appeared in only one game in 2016 because of shoulder and elbow injuries. Groin and neck issues limited him to 15 games in 2018.

The South Korea native also pitched seven seasons in that country’s KBO League, going 98-52 with a 2.80 ERA.

This offseason, the Blue Jays, who finished 2019 a distant fourth in the American League East at 67-95, have also signed right-hander Tanner Roark and infielder Travis Shaw.

Toronto has not made the postseason since 2016, the last season it finished with a winning record.