Toronto Blue Jays: Hyun-Jin Ryu gets well deserved Cy Young nod
For the second-straight season, Hyun-Jin Ryu is a Cy Young finalist which should reaffirm the Toronto Blue Jays approach to going after top quality free agents.
In a season that saw the Toronto Blue Jays take a step forward, their biggest addition from the off-season is getting recognized for the stability he provided.
Hyun-Jin Ryu came in with the pressure of being the Blue Jays ace and excelled at it posting a 5-2 record with a 2.69 ERA in 12 starts while striking out 72 hitters in 67 innings. It was a bit of a surprise to see him get nominated for the AL Cy Young but you can’t say he didn’t deserve it either.
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Ryu wasn’t the only member of the Blue Jays to get recognized as manager Charlie Montoyo was nominated for AL Manager of the Year and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. can win a Gold Glove award Tuesday. This is a significant development for the Blue Jays considering the challenges they had to go through in 2020.
Not only that but it should reaffirm the Blue Jays approach to the off-season and the need to add more to a roster that needs support. While signing Ryu to a four-year, $80 million deal was a significant investment, that shouldn’t be all they do.
Even if he doesn’t win the AL Cy Young, which seems like Shane Bieber’s award to lose, Ryu was worth every penny this season and one of the few bright spots in the rotation. This also means that finding another who fits what Ryu brings should be a priority.
If the 2020 postseason showed anything, it’s that the Blue Jays need more pitching to go up against the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays. Of course, that shouldn’t be the only area the team should address this offseason as the team needs to find more impact bats and improve the defence.
What this all shows is that the plan under this regime is going in the right direction and that there has to be caution taken when approaching a free agent market that doesn’t have a lot of elite options but decent players that will be attractive.
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What are your thoughts on Ryu getting nominated for the AL Cy Young? Can they find similar value in the free agent market again? Let us know in the comments below.