Hyun-Jin Ryu to accept qualifying offer, per report

Hyun-Jin Ryu, Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher, will accept the qualifying offer which he has been tendered, per Jon Heyman on Twitter. If he accepts, Ryu will be on a one year, $17.9 million deal for 2019, and then will be a free agent after the season, and will be ineligible to be subject to the qualifying offer again. Should Ryu decline, he would be a free agent, but any team wishing to sign him would have to forfeit a draft pick.

Ryu, who turns 32 in March, has been good for the Dodgers while healthy, but has had problems staying healthy. He missed all of 2015 and virtually all of 2016, and has had just 39 starts the past two seasons. However, for his career he has a 3.22 ERA in 557.2 innings pitched in the majors. He will get the opportunity to show that he can stay healthy for a full season, which, combined with not being subject to draft pick compensation, would make him more attractive in next year’s market, and the Dodgers have a really good pitcher on a short-term commitment.