Although many contracts have come out in the past three years, Ryu Hyun-jin (36, Toronto) is still firmly established as a high-paying player in the Major League (MLB).

USA Today, an American media outlet, introduced a list of the top 50 major league salaries for the 2023 season on the 4th (Korean time). The 50 are in the top 4% of the 40-man roster in the big leagues.

Tied for first place were New York Mets’ one-two punch Justin Verlander (40) and Max Scherzer (39). The two players showed their skills despite their indecent age and took their place as the highest paid players.

In this ranking, Ryu Hyun-jin tied for 46th. Receiving an annual salary of 20 million dollars (approximately 26.2 billion won), he stood shoulder to shoulder with prominent major league superstars such as Clayton Kershaw (LA Dodgers), Salvador Perez (Kansas City), and Kyle Schwaber (Philadelphia).메이저놀이터

After the 2019 season, Ryu Hyun-jin signed a contract with Toronto for 4 years and 80 million dollars (approximately 100.9 billion won). At the time, it was the third-largest contract in Toronto history, and the highest for a pitcher. After that, based on the total amount of pitchers, after the end of the 2021 season, Jose Berrios (29) received $ 131 million in 7 years, and Kevin Gausman (32) received $ 21 million this year as an annual salary, overturning the rankings.

However, Ryu Hyun-jin still receives a salary that is high enough to be counted among three fingers on the team. According to the media, Ryu Hyun-jin is the third highest earner after George Springer ($24,166,667) and Gaussman ($21 million).

Although it is difficult to play until the first half of this year after undergoing Tommy John surgery (elbow ligament joint surgery) in June of last year, Ryu Hyun-jin has performed well as a starting pitcher. In 2020, the first year of his transfer, he had his best season, reaching 3rd place in the American League Cy Young with an ERA of 2.69 in 12 games, 5 wins and 2 losses. He then kept the rotation in 2021 and won 14 wins.

In 2019 alone, Toronto, which was so chaotic that as many as 21 people started as a starter, quickly regained stability after joining Ryu Hyun-jin. Thanks to this, Toronto has risen to a team that can challenge for the premiership again, and is now being evaluated as having the top starting lineup in the league. With this alone, Ryu Hyun-jin can be said to have paid ‘money’ to some extent.

MLB.com, the official homepage of the Major League Baseball, also said, “At that time, it was the early days when young and key players with famous names in Toronto just made their debut.” “Hyeon-Jin Ryu was the player who represented Toronto’s much-needed next step.”