Los Angeles Dodgers, Hyun-jin Ryu agree to $36 million contract

The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Korean left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu shortly before a Sunday deadline, wrapping up a productive weekend in which they may have acquired their No. 2 and 3 starting pitchers.

Ryu’s deal is for six years and sources told ESPN it’s worth $36 million with an out clause that kicks in after the fifth year if he has pitched 750 or more innings,.

“We are excited to welcome Hyun-Jin Ryu to Los Angeles and the United States, continuing the tradition of Korean pitchers with the Dodger organization,” Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said in a statement released Sunday.

The Dodgers posted a fee of $25.7 million for the rights to negotiate with Ryu’s agent, Scott Boras. Had they not worked out a deal by Sunday at 5 p.m. ET, Ryu would have been returned to his Korean team, the Hanwha Eagles.

The Dodgers had an active weekend, agreeing to terms late Saturday with free agent pitcher Zack Greinke on a six-year, $147 million deal. They will enter the 2013 season with a record payroll of more than $230 million.

Ryu, 25, pitched seven years in the Korean Baseball Organization, where he had a 2.80 ERA and 1,238 strikeouts in 1,269 innings.

The Dodgers enter spring training with as many as seven veteran starting pitchers, depending on the health of Chad Billingsley and Ted Lilly.

The Dodgers also have ace Clayton Kershaw as well as Josh Beckett, Aaron Harang and Chris Capuano serving as solid back-end of the rotation pieces.

via Los Angeles Dodgers, Hyun-jin Ryu agree to contract – ESPN Los Angeles.