TORONTO — Baseball fans in Toronto’s Korean community say the Blue Jays’ signing of star pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu represents more than just a shot at the post-season — it’s sparked a media storm and increased interest in the team in South Korea. The Blue Jays announced Friday they’d signed the 32-year-old left-hander to a four-year deal worth US$80 million. Ryu made his first all-star appearance last year starting for the National League team, but he’s had celebrity status in his home country since high school, according to one member of Toronto’s Korean baseball community. The California city has one of the largest South Korean populations outside of the East Asian country. However, Anthony believes the focus will now shift to Toronto, which is also home to more than 73,000 people of South Korean descent, according to the 2016 census.

Source: National Post December 27, 2019 17:26 UTC