It took the full 30 days, but the Dodgers and Hyun-Jin Ryu on Sunday agreed to a contract. The total financial commitment the Dodgers made is unknown, but it cost $25.7 million to get to this point. Odds are, it's going to be a $50 million-plus commitment.
Update (2:43 p.m.): Jon Heyman and Tim Brown tweet that Ryu will get $36 million over six years. He also can earn $1 million per season in performance bonuses. He also has an opt-out clause after five years and "an innings threshold." The total commitment to Ryu is six years and about $67.7 million. A hefty sum for a middle-of-the-rotation guy. Mike Petriello had the years/amount first (6/42).
As of this moment, the lefty is expected to be in the Dodgers' rotation -- at least, that's what a financial commitment of this type would indicate.
The rotation is jam-packed right now, but with the Zack Greinke signing and this deal, there will be a trade or two in the near future (I'm looking at you, Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang). With Chad Billingsley's status unknown, I'd venture a guess Ryu slots in as the team's No. 5 starter at this point.
And despite the Dodgers' adding two starting pitchers, word is they're looking to make another big splash -- in the starting rotation.
The team has been connected to Anibal Sanchez, Kyle Lohse (unfortunately), R.A. Dickey and James Shields. The Dodgers obviously have a better chance of landing a guy like Sanchez or Lohse, but they have enough to make a play for Dickey, if they wanted. Shields would be ideal, but is unlikely.
The Dodgers are putting an awful lot of money into the starting rotation. They could also use a third baseman, but the market is nowhere near as plentiful as it is for starting pitcher.
The Dodgers' front office obviously has a plan. Let's just hope they aren't planning on going into the 2013 with Luis Cruz as their starting third baseman.
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