Report: Dodgers reach agreement with Korean pitcher Ryu
The Los Angeles Dodgers have reached a contract agreement with left-handed pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin, a seven-time All-Star in the Korean league, ESPN.com reported Sunday.
The Dodgers had a 5 p.m. Sunday deadline to sign Ryu, and got the deal done just in time.
Ryu agreed to a six-year deal that will pay him $36 million, according to CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman. The contract also includes an opt out provision after five years if Ryu pitches a certain number of innings.
The Dodgers had bid $25.7 million for a chance to sign Kyu, 25, and the team will now pay that fee to his team in Korea, the Hanwha Eagles.
Ryu went 9-9 with a 2.66 ERA last season for Hanwha, with 210 strikeouts in 182 2/3 innings. He is 98-52 with a 2.80 lifetime ERA.
He helped his Korean team win a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, when he went 2-0 with a 1.04 ERA in two starts. He also won his only start in the World Baseball Classic, allowing two runs in seven innings.
Ryu was Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year in the KBO when he was 19 years old.
