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So that was a fun few days, huh? The Dodgers added a pitcher on each of the first two nights of Hanukkah, and while it's unlikely they keep that pace up for the next six days the club will still likely make more moves. But for now, let's focus on Hyun-jin Ryu, who will be introduced at Dodger Stadium on Monday.
Ryu, who will wear number 99, is signed through 2018. Here is the breakdown of his contract, thanks to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times and Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports.
- $5 million signing bonus
- 2013: $2.5 million
- 2014: $3.5 million
- 2015: $4.5 million
- 2016: $7 million
- 2017: $7 million
- 2018: $7 million
Ryu can earn up to $1 million annually based on innings pitched. He gets $250,000 for each of 170, 180, 190, and 200 innings. That could bring the total value of the deal to $42 million, though it could get even higher as his base salary could increase depending on his finish in Cy Young balloting.
Like Zack Greinke, Ryu has an opt-our clause in his contract. If Ryu pitches 750 innings in the first five years of the contract, he can opt out after 2017 and become a free agent heading into his age-31 season.
Ryu also cannot be sent to the minor leagues without his consent, which makes him like any six-year free agent, rather than one with no major league service time. Ryu, like Greinke, Matt Kemp, and Andre Ethier, does not have a no-trade clause.
Factor in the posting fee of $25,737,737.33, and the Dodgers paid $61.7 million for six years of Ryu's prime years, ages 26-31 (or possibly $54.7 million for ages 26-30 if he opts out). That sounds pretty reasonable to me.
Including Ryu's posting fee, his signing bonus, and salary, the Dodgers' 2013 payroll is estimated at over $272 million, including a few small estimates for the final roster spots and including dead money. Of course, with eight starting pitchers currently on the roster it's likely one or two of them will be traded (my guess is Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang are on the block) this offseason. And while their salaries (or a portion of them if the Dodgers kick in cash in a deal) would come off the books if traded, it's unlikely the payroll will go down via either the players in return (think something like the rumored Capuano for Joel Hanrahan deal) or another free agent signing.
I'm taking my camera later Monday to hopefully get a glimpse of the renovations at Dodger Stadium, still in progress. But the Dodgers roster renovation is just even more captivating, and like the ballpark it will be interesting to see once finished.