Ryu Hyun-jin is coming home.

The Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced Thursday that they have signed Ryu, a former major league All-Star, to an eight-year contract worth 17 billion won (US$12.8 million). The deal makes him the highest-paid player in South Korea and immediately sent shockwaves through the top domestic league.

Ryu, 36, most likely has finished his Major League Baseball (MLB) career after seven years with the Los Angeles Dodgers and four more with the Toronto Blue Jays. As a Dodger, Ryu was the National League (NL) starter at the All-Star Game in 2019 and was the runner-up in the NL Cy Young Award voting that same year, when he led MLB with a 2.32 ERA.

Ryu first pitched for the Eagles from 2006 to 2012. He was voted the regular season MVP and the Rookie of the Year in his first season, when he led the KBO with 18 wins, 2.23 ERA and a rookie-record 204 strikeouts.

Source: Yonhap News Agency