The Cardinals are another club with interest in veteran lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu, according to MLB.com’s Jon Morosi (via Twitter). Ryu is among the top remaining pitching options on the open market.
We’ve heard the St. Louis organization tied to starters here and there, but it’s not yet fully clear how dedicated a pursuit will occur. The club already brought back Adam Wainwright but also saw Michael Wacha depart via free agency.
Ryu is said to be seeking the security of a three or four-year pact. While he comes with a dodgy health history, the 32-year-old was healthy in 2019. And Ryu has always been effective when healthy — never more than of late. He owns a ridiculous 2.21 ERA over 265 innings in his past 44 starts, with 8.6 K/9 to go with a meager 1.3 BB/9.
Given that history, it’s no surprise that quite a few organizations see Ryu as a target. The incumbent Dodgers are an option, with the Blue Jays and Twins reportedly among the other pursuers.
macstruts
If the Angels don’t add Ryu or MadBum or Keuchell, then their payout of Rendon is wasted.
CrewBrew
but Bundy
macstruts
As a 5th starter, I like Bundy. As a second starter, I like Ohtani, as a 3rd starter, I like Heaney. As a 4th starter I like Canning.
Whoever the Angels add as a#1 starter, I won’t like. But MadBum, or Keuchell, or Ryu is a lot better than anyone else they can add.
rhannah78
As a Red Sox fan, I would be thrilled if the Angel’s traded for David Price.
5toolMVP
To me that guy is Vernon Wells 2.0. Been there done that…I’d avoid Price at all costs, even if Boston paid half of the 3/96m owed and asked for nothing back.
soxsam32
You really shouldn’t be. Sadly, our chances of contending with this group largely hinge on Price. Wishing him gone does nothing but weaken the current roster. Sale can’t stay effective and healthy long enough to make a real difference in October and I don’t see that changing as he gets older.
5toolMVP
I think Rendon justifies the Cozart salary dump and had to happen. Bundy was essentially a replacement for Skaggs. Kluber might be a good gamble but not if it costs us anyone named Fletcher, Adell, Canning. Keuchel would be a good pickup too.
Francys01
I’m not so sure that if we need a starting pitcher. I rather would would like the Cardinals to wait and see. The market is too high for free agents at this moment.
Dotnet22
You’re in luck. They are great at waiting to see….
stgpd
Isn’t that the motto on their jersey sleeve?
Payne Train
We went into the playoffs last year without a 5th starter —- I think we should at least be looking at pitching, especially from the left side if possible
steven st croix
Eppler is in over his head.
johndietz
I think Eppler’s been great. He inherited a mess. The farm system, the payroll, everything! For 4 years he managed to rebuild the farm system and not lock the team into anymore bad contracts. With Rendon, the Angels are only committed to 4 players beyond 2020, they still draw 3 million fans even though they haven’t been to the playoffs, and now he actually has money and prospects to play with. He fixed something that was broken and we didn’t go through a complete tear down and rebuild to do it. His hands were tied for 4 years. He’s been GREAT. He should be Arte’s next signing!
bigm
I agree I think they need both.
tpdehart
Angels added bombs away Bundy
CFAP
The Angels pitching is so bad that they need to add 2 of those guys not just one.
Gmen777
A month ago it seemed extremely unlikely Bum would resign with the Giants but now all of a sudden it doesn’t sound too far fetched. There have been a few reports saying he doesn’t really want to play in the AL so he can hit and I just don’t think he’d sign with the Dodgers unless they massively overpaid him (something I doubt they’d do). Really looking like it’s the Giants, Cards and Braves
teufelshunde4
Cards will never sign a FA pitcher to a 9 figure deal period. Ryu is a solid Cardinals type target short deal on moderate salary.
bmcteer
No way cards spend for ryu. Way to expensive and will most likely have some regression.
jkoch717
Some? He’s never posted these numbers until free agency was on the horizon and has never thrown 200 innings, with the most in his first season (192). Hard pass here and hopefully it’s just Heyman making stuff up again.
GregF
I think that Wainwright is more likely to regress than Ryu.
dugdog83
Agreed
CFAP
A road ERA north of 6.00 for Wainwright already has shown regression.
msqboxer
Make he’ll make up for the rest of the staff that’s going to regress…
Payne Train
If someone gets him healthy for %70 of the time – it will be a good signing – the guy can pitch.
4 years, 75 – 80 mil wouldn’t be horrible .
If the cards sign him, he would slot into our #2 spot —- would be great for a playoff series
Maybe the cards could do 3 years for 55 mil, incentives for a little more money, then a 4th year option ?
Payne Train
Shot in the dark – I don’t know what his contract would/could look like
stan lee the manly
I would love getting him for that price. I like Keuchel’s ground ball profile for the Cards defense, but Ryu is a darn good pitcher when he’s healthy, he’s my top choice of the money is similar.
vtadave
If he was okay with 3/55, he’d be a Dodger. With the market the way it is right now, 4/100 seems like a starting point.
VonPurpleHayes
4/100 seems fair. Guy could have easily been the NL cy young.
macstruts
He’s not going to get 25 a year. He’s not going to get an AAV higher than Wheeler.
The cost of pitching is now going to get him a four year deal My guess is it will be four years at around 75.
spinach
A guy was just a top-10 pitcher in baseball (top 5? Higher?) and you want him to get less than $20m AAV? Genius, not like good pitchers get paid super well..
Payne Train
Genius, thanks 🙂
He’s been healthy one of his last 4 seasons – he will get $20 mil a year, tops.
Payne Train
Yea that’s what I was kinda thinking – I didn’t know if incentive driven contract (on top of close to 20 mil a year) would do it .
Maybe people are avoiding multiple years with him, which would make sense because of why else would they say “he is seeking 3-4 years for security)
They make it sounds like he may be getting one year offers with a high pay rate for that one year
Dorothy_Mantooth
Ryu took his one year ‘prove it’ contract last season by accepting the Dodgers QO of $17.1M. Based on his 2019 performance, he has earned a multi-year deal and with the rate that FA pitchers are being signed, some team is sure to overpay for him. I’m almost certain that he has received multiple 3 year offers already and I’m guessing his agent is pushing for that extra (4th) year. I could see him getting 3/66 or 4/80 from a team desperate to add a quality starter to their rotation.
CJ81
Yea im guessing this market gives him a slight boost and he gets like 4 years, somewhere between 80-86 million.
Payne Train
If the cards sign him with the money that was set aside for Ozuna – what OF’er are we going to trade for ?
Ryu and a good OF’er would be a pretty good offseason (if you choose to forget that we lost Ozuna from the middle of our already too often stagnant lineup)
RedFeather
Ryu 4 years- 80 million and trade for Joc Peterson.
spudchukar
Rather have Cory Dickerson.
Payne Train
Same, Dickerson, if they go FA route … if they go Trade, I like Eddie Rasario
Tapeman69
Oh yeah cant lose ozuna
ChiSoxCity
Breaking News: The White Sox are lied.
ChiSoxCity
*liars
Dorothy_Mantooth
I’m not sure they are liars. It seems more like free agents are choosing not to sign there as their owner does not have the best reputation with the players union. So unless they really overpay (20% more +) the Chi Sox are going to struggle landing premier free agents.
Jrmomo1000
I see a Ivan Nova or Brett Anderson in the Cards then maybe a trade for another bat.
nemolee.exe
HELLLLL NO
robster
Why wasn’t my post publish???
vtadave
Your grammar?
Dorothy_Mantooth
LOL
bravesfan
Rumor has it that the Braves are “checking in” here…
DarrenDreifortsContract
If we miss out on Bumgardner. He’s definitely coming back. I’m thinking on a 4 year/82 million dollar deal.
CJ81
This is exactly who the cardinals should sign! Get it done! Last year the strength was pitching, but the rotation still has a ton of question marks. Solidify the run prevention. Cardinals can go into the season with the position players they have. Ozuna would be nice to have back, but betweeen lane thomas, arozarena, tyler oneil, harrison bader, they are all so good defensively they just need decent offe sive production from 2 of them. And carpenter cant possibly be as bad as hos 2019, can he?
Dad
Yes , Carpenter is THAT BAD
angelsfan4life
Please anyone sign him, before the Angels do. Which ever team signs him, to a multi year contract, will regret it by no later than the second year. He has Jordan Zimmerman written all over him.
NYFAN77!!
It’s simple sign Bumgarner, Ryu trade for Happ and find a closer who can save a game. Maybe Troy Percival’s son or Bestances on a one year deal? Let’s go Angels get it done.
Finlander
5 years/90M with moderate incentives to push potential total to 120M. Opt out after year 3.
Question: does the potential incentive totals factor into contract value for team tax threshold prior to season start, or after the incentive is reached? I haven’t understood how incentives are accounted for in contracts.
CFAP
Cards panicked om Mikolas at 4/64. With that said, Ryu is worth 4/100
themed
Panicked? That was an awesome signing for a top of the line starter. He’s been worth every cent.
CFAP
[Good lord you’re still delusional, themed. “Top of the line starter”. Mikolas? 1 year back in the league and the Cardinals jumped right in and PANICKED with a huge overpay. League adjusted quickly to him. 27 HR allowed. 4.16 ERA. Only 7 K per 9. He’s about as far from top of the line as they come, unless he pitched for the Tigers or Royals. Wake up. You’re drowning in Mozeliak’s bath water.
JFactor
His ERA was largely ramped up this year because while his HR rate moved directly with the league jump, he happened to give up is home runs at really bad times. If you neutralize when the home runs happen in both 2018 and 2019, they are actually very similar years.
He went from lucky to unlucky. Expect a rerun to the middle this year
CFAP
He started the same amount of games. His IP went down. His HA went up. His BB and K stayed roughly the same. His HR increased. His FIP inceeased dramatically. He reverted back to the guy I knew he would. He’s an average pitcher who got overpaid because like Mo always does, he overpays for guys HE BROUGHT IN because he is out to prove he is the smartest guy in the room. Well, he is…when the only people in the room are Themed and Girsch.
CJ81
hes a solid #3 pitcher and if you want to say he’s overpaid that’s fine, maybe a lottle, but that is not a contract thahurts the team.
CFAP
It doesn’t help. 3/36 would have gotten him signed.
Mikel Grady
If cole gets 36 and Strasburg 35 ryu is older and injuries but he gets 20 a year ? So 4/80?
marijuasher
Dodgers need to come to their senses and offer Ryu 3 yrs @ $75 mm rather than make a mistake and actually sign that Bay Area snot knocker.
BlueSkyLA
If the Dodgers don’t bring back Ryu then what does the top of their rotation look like? It looks like Buehler, Kershaw, and ?.
AstrosWS20
Ryu has the potential to be one of the best free agent values in recent memory. I’m not thinking too hard on that, but only 3YR/$54M for a pitcher who can put up an ERA in the low 2s or 3s is a steal. You can then add a Mad Bum or Keuchel for about the same and pay the same AAV that the Yanks will pay for Cole alone. That’s what the Angels need to do if they’re smart. They badly need top end pitching depth. That goes for a lot of teams.
uncle mike
More Mozeliak blowing smoke up in the air for possible Season Ticket holders!!! The Owners have made it clear that after the 2021 season, “Most of John Mozeliak’s ultra bad—long term—high salaried contracts”, will come off the books!! Mozeliak is excellent in talking in circles. “First let me say this about that—-“. Standard answer Mozeliak gives to any pointed question. Then, talks all around the pointed question without ever addressing the original question. No one…I mean No one trust Mozeliak except the Owners. He’s their puppet. He is not his own man!! Owner pulls his strings and says Jump. He says. “Yes sirs….And how high Sirs”. A master of dumpster diving and unusable Low Hanging Fruit. He finally had a threat as a Clean up hitter in Ozuna. Fine if you let him go… but at least hire a player with the same impact as Ozuna’s bat, or better!!! Don’t keep going backwards in replacing position players.
CFAP
Mozeliak is a glorified accountant. He should just resign and run for the State Treasury position, or go work for one of the big accounting firms. He’s a bean counter who talks like a politician. That’s all he is. The sad thing is how pathetic fans and media are that hang on his every word.
The Infinity Gauntlet
It’s amazing how little interest Ryu is getting. He deserves more.