Free agent Ryu Hyun-jin, 36, has once again been linked to Bae Ji-hwan’s Pittsburgh Pirates. Rum Bunter, who covers Pittsburgh for FanSided, believes Ryu could sign a one-year deal with the Pirates, saying he’s a good fit for Pittsburgh in many ways.굿모닝토토

Pittsburgh finished 11th in the National League with a 4.60 team ERA and 11th in the National League with a 4.88 starting ERA this season. Outside of Mitch Keller, who went 13-9 with a 4.21 ERA in 32 games, there were no 10-win pitchers and no starters with a sub-3 ERA in more than 10 starts.

This is a young team in the National League, so the addition of veteran Ryu Hyun-jin on a short-term deal could be beneficial. General manager Ben Cherington has made it clear that bolstering the starting rotation is a top priority in free agency. “You can get a veteran who is trying to redefine his value, a veteran who is nearing the end of his career, on a one-year deal,” Rum Bunter said.

“If you really want to go down that path, you could sign veteran Ryu Hyun-jin,” he said. He then briefly reviewed Ryu’s major league history. “I’m a little disappointed in Ryu and Toronto,” he said of his four-year, $80 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.

On the effect of Ryu joining Pittsburgh, Rum Bunter said, “It’s a win in a lot of ways. Most importantly, it improves the Pittsburgh starting rotation. He’s going to be a strong, quality veteran. And he’s a potential leader of the staff.”

Even if he doesn’t become a starter at this point, he could be a leader in terms of experience and leadership. “Even if Ryu signs a one-year deal to restore his value, there are plenty of reasons for him to be a good fit in Pittsburgh,” said Rum Bunter. He’s a pitcher to pursue in free agency.”

The general consensus in the U.S. media is that Hyun-jin Ryu is available for a one-year, $10 million contract. He could be a bargain free agent for Pittsburgh. Bae Ji-hwan could help Ryu in right-center field. Of course, Bae could actually help Ryu more.