As a healthy Ryu Hyun-jin (36-Toronto Blue Jays) prepares to make his second start of his comeback, the New York Mets fan base is taking notice.

On July 7 (KST), Rising Apple, an American fan site covering the New York Mets, named Hyun-jin Ryu as the Mets’ fifth starter in 2024 and rated him as one of the top candidates to be acquired after the season.

The media outlet said, “Ryu returned to the Toronto mound 14 months after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He had a shaky start against the Baltimore Orioles on April 2, giving up four runs in five innings, but his command improved as the game went on.

“Between now and the end of the season, it will be a time of recovery for Ryu as he tries to help Toronto make a playoff push.” “Ryu’s value has been diminished by his recovery from Tommy John surgery and the overall underperformance of the four-year, $80 million contract he signed before the 2020 season. His ERA is more than a full run higher in Toronto than it was in Los Angeles, so he could be looking for a change.

Ryu, who had a 2.98 ERA in six seasons with the Dodgers, has a 4.13 ERA in four seasons with Toronto. He is in his mid-30s, but the American League East is a tough environment for pitchers, with plenty of power hitters and hitter-friendly ballparks.

‘Ryu, who will turn 37 on Opening Day next year, would fit in nicely as an innings-intensive fifth starter on a one- or two-year deal with the Mets. He’s averaged just over two walks per nine innings in his career. Along with Jose Quintana (Mets) and Julio Urias (LA Dodgers), the left-hander will be able to handle the strong left-handed pitching in the National League East.

With fall baseball far away, the Mets turned to sellers at last week’s trade deadline, trading away three-time Cy Young Award one-two punchers Max Scherzer (Texas) and Justin Verlander (Houston). With pitching prospects like Mike Vassile and Blake Tidwell still a year or so away from making their major league debuts, it emphasized the need for offseason reinforcements to rebuild the starting rotation.

The ideal scenario would be to acquire Urias, Aaron Nola, and Hyun-Jin Ryu in free agency to form a five-man rotation with Senga Godai and Quintana.

Fans aren’t the only ones keeping an eye on Ryu. Joel Sherman of the New York Post, a leading American newspaper, also mentioned James Paxton (Boston) and Ryu as possible free agent starting pitching options for the Mets in the upcoming offseason.

Meanwhile, Hyun-jin Ryu will start for Toronto on the first day of a four-game road trip against the Cleveland Indians at 8:10 a.m. on Aug. 8 at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. He’ll be looking for his first win on five days’ rest after giving up four runs on nine hits (one homer) and one walk with three strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings against Baltimore in his last start.먹튀검증

Cleveland, which is second in the American League Central (54-58), lacks offensive firepower, ranking 25th in team OPS (.696) and 30th in home runs (84). Fourth baseman Josh Naylor is also out with a side injury, so they don’t have much of a threat outside of Jose Ramirez. Ryu has been strong against Cleveland, winning two of his three career starts with a 2.84 ERA. In many ways, expectations are high for him to get his first win back.