San Diego signed a new contract with team right-hander ace Darvish Yu (37) ahead of this season. He was scheduled to become a free agent (FA) at the end of this season, but signed a six-year, $108 million contract and tied it until 2028.
With this contract, Darvish has prepared a foothold to play until the age of 42. It was a possible proposal because of his confidence in Darvish. Darvish is a special pitcher with 97 victories in his career. After he transferred to San Diego in 2021, he went 26-22 with a 3.61 earned run average in 68 games. Last year, he pitched 194⅔ innings in 30 games, going 16-8 with a 3.10 earned run average.
194⅔innings was the most since 2013 (209⅔innings). He is in his mid-30s, but it is proof that he has a certain physical condition. San Diego, who watched Darvish up close, must have calculated that he would stay in good shape well into his early 40s.
Then, what is the market’s view of Hyun-Jin Ryu (36, Toronto), who will qualify as a free agent after this season ends? Since Ryu Hyun-jin is also in his mid-30s, he has fewer days to play than the days he has played so far. However, there are also positive aspects to be found in some areas. Looking at the two active pitchers in their 40s, it doesn’t seem impossible. This is because Ryu Hyun-jin also has a comparable passage.
If Darvish is closer to the Old Wies, Ryu Hyun-jin is closer to the Craftsman. And among active pitchers in their 40s, there are skilled pitchers such as Rich Hill (43, Pittsburgh) and Jack Greinke (40, Kansas City). The two players do not have as much velocity as in their prime, but they are maintaining their competitiveness based on their clear strengths.
Rich Hill now has a fastball velocity of 90 miles (145 km), which is difficult. The average velocity of a four-seam fastball this season is 87.5 miles. But he has a curve that is a sure deciding pitch. He uses it to catch strikes and induce miss swings.
This curve that comes out of the two pitching forms is Hill’s proprietary patent and the driving force to maintain its competitiveness. Curve and four-seam are basically combos with the largest difference in velocity. If hitters choose one side, the other is not easy to hit. With that advantage, Hill is good at so-called number fights.
Future Hall of Fame nominee Zack Greinke is also showing the pinnacle of brain pitching. Greinke had decent velocity in his prime, but as he got older, his physical velocity declined significantly. But he has very good control and he pitches cleverly. That is why he is still competitive.
The same goes for Hyunjin Ryu. Hyun-Jin Ryu is also not a restraint in his prime, but he was not originally a player who made a living by restraint. He took second and third place in the Cy Young video poll with various advantages such as precise control, clever pitching, and the power of his main weapon, the changeup. Teams looking at Ryu Hyun-jin in the market are also likely to pay attention to these characteristics rather than restraint.메이저놀이터
In addition, his elbow surgery was completed, and if he proves that his rehabilitation went well this year, the eyes of the clubs may change. This is because there is a high possibility that the elbow will not have a problem for the rest of his career. As a player who has just returned from surgery, it will not be easy to sign a 6-year contract like Darvish, but there is a good chance that he will re-examine his abilities after a short-term contract and aim for the final FA jackpot.
