Ryu Hyun-jin's performance with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019 is still talked about in Korea as well as in Major League Baseball, dubbed the 'Monster Season.'
Ryu Hyun-jin was a hot topic in every game as he challenged for the Cy Young Award. He recorded 14 wins and 5 losses with an earned run average of 2.32 over 29 games and 182⅔ innings. He became the first Asian pitcher to earn the title of Major League Baseball leader in earned run average and showcased the traits of a control artist by allowing only 1.18 walks per 9 innings. This was also the best in Major League Baseball overall.
That year, his Wins Above Replacement (WAR) was 5.1 according to Baseball Reference and 4.9 according to FanGraphs, making him one of the top pitchers in the league. He also became the first Korean player to be selected as a starting pitcher for the All-Star Game.
Additionally, Ryu Hyun-jin became the first Asian player to receive a first-place vote in the Cy Young voting and finished in second place. He was considered a strong candidate for the Cy Young Award until the middle of the season and fiercely competed in a three-way race with Jacob deGrom (then with the New York Mets) and Max Scherzer (then with the Washington Nationals) until the end of the season, capping off the 'Monster Season.' After debuting in the KBO League in 2006 and sweeping the MVP, Rookie of the Year, and Triple Crown awards, Ryu Hyun-jin asserted himself as the top pitcher in the KBO League until 2012. He challenged Major League Baseball through the posting system in 2013, with the Los Angeles Dodgers placing a winning bid of $25,737,737 and signing a large contract worth $36 million over 6 years.
In 2013, he had a successful debut season with 14 wins and 8 losses, an earned run average of 3.00 over 30 games and 192 innings, and posted impressive numbers in his second year with 14 wins and 7 losses, an earned run average of 3.38 over 26 games and 152 innings. Although he missed about two years due to left shoulder arthroscopy in 2015 and elbow necrotic tissue removal surgery in 2016, he made a healthy comeback.
At the end of the 2018 season, he obtained free agency eligibility as his 6-year contract ended but chose to accept the qualifying offer from the Dodgers and pursued free agency again. He then completed a historic season in 2019. Following that, Ryu Hyun-jin struck a jackpot by signing a 4-year, $80 million free agent contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. He recorded 54 wins and 33 losses with an earned run average of 2.98 over a total of 126 games (125 starts) with the Dodgers. The best time of Ryu Hyun-jin's big league career was spent with the Dodgers.
People watching the Dodgers shared similar thoughts. Ryu Hyun-jin was an indispensable player in the history of the Dodgers in the 21st century. On the 28th (Korean time), the North American sports media outlet The Athletic selected the Dodgers' All-Star team of the 2000s, reflecting on the last 25 years since entering the 21st century. Ryu Hyun-jin's name was included in this 21st-century Dodgers All-Star starting lineup.
The All-Star selection combined the Wins Above Replacement (WAR) and the impact over the years. Ryu Hyun-jin was listed alongside Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Walker Buehler, and Kevin Brown in the 21st-century Dodgers All-Star starting lineup. In fact, Ryu Hyun-jin ranked 5th (13.9) in the WAR rankings for pitchers according to FanGraphs.
The media gave Ryu Hyun-jin considerable attention. They noted that 'despite a gap due to injury in the middle of his time with the Dodgers, Ryu Hyun-jin's time in Los Angeles was undeniably successful. He made an impressive debut season with an earned run average of 3.00 at the age of 26 in 2013. After recovering beautifully from injuries, he finished second in Cy Young voting in 2019 with an earned run average of 2.32. He became one of the few pitchers to seize the postseason's top starting position from Kershaw.'
At that time, Clayton Kershaw, known as the 'Ace of Blue Blood,' was the undisputed top starter for the Dodgers during postseason play. He pitched as the top starter for most of the postseason unless scheduling conflicts arose. He took the mound for the Dodgers' first postseason game consecutively from 2013 to 2017.
Interestingly, Ryu Hyun-jin once seized the honor of being the top starter in the postseason from Kershaw in 2018. That year, Ryu Hyun-jin demonstrated signs of a Cy Young-level performance. Although he missed about two months due to a knee injury, he had an outstanding season with 7 wins and 3 losses, an earned run average of 1.97 over 15 games. He captured the Dodgers' postseason top starter position with a magnificent performance in the second half, posting a record of 4 wins and 3 losses and an earned run average of 1.88 over 9 games, leading to victory with a dazzling performance of 7 innings, 4 hits allowed, 8 strikeouts, and no runs against the Atlanta Braves in Game 1 of the Division Series.
Coincidentally, before The Athletic, MLB.com also spotlighted Ryu Hyun-jin. In May, in celebration of 'AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander),' they focused on Asian players who made an impact in Major League Baseball. They also noted that 'Ryu Hyun-jin, who ranked second in Cy Young voting in 2019, made a significant achievement.'
The time Ryu Hyun-jin spent with the Dodgers, including 2019, has become an unforgettable moment in the recent 25-year history of the Dodgers.
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