Dodgers win bid for Ryu
The Los Angeles Dodgers won the exclusive rights to negotiate with Korean left-handed pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu, MLB.com reported Saturday.
The Hanwha Eagles announced they accepted a $25.75 million bid from the Dodgers for Ryu's rights. The Dodgers have a 30-day window to work out a deal for the 25-year-old star.
"We believe this figure is acceptable for the rights to the top ace in South Korea," the Eagles wrote on their official website, according to Agence France-Presse.
Ryu has been the top pitcher in the Korean Baseball Organization for several years.
The Dodgers declined to comment. The Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs also reportedly submitted significant bids. The Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Angels were also reportedly interested in Ryu.
Ryu was Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year in the KBO when he was 19 years old. He pitched Korea to the gold medal in the 2008 Olympics and helped Korea reach the finals of the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
He went 9-9 with a 2.66 ERA last season for Hanwha, with 210 strikeouts in 182 2/3 innings. In seven years, he has a 2.80 ERA.
"I've made a step forward for a dream come true," Ryu said on the Eagles website, according to AFP.
A year ago, Japanese star right-handed pitcher Yu Darvish set a record by attracting a $51.7 million bid from the Texas Rangers. Texas then signed Darvish to a six-year, $56 million deal through 2017.
Ryu's bid ranks third overall among Asian players. The Boston Red Sox bid $51.1 million for right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka in 2006.
