South Korean pitcher Go Woo-seok traded to Minnesota Twins, eyes MLB debut

South Korean pitcher Go Woo-seok is on the verge of making his Major League Baseball debut after being acquired by the Minnesota Twins from the Detroit Tigers in a cash trade, according to U.S. sports media. MLB Trade Rumors reported the move on March 6 (KST), with The Athletic's Dan Hayes confirming that Go would sign a contract with the Twins and be added to their Major League roster.

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Minnesota Twins acquired Go Woo-seok from the Detroit Tigers in a cash trade.

Go, 28, had been seeking a path to MLB since signing a two-year, $4.5 million deal with the San Diego Padres via the posting system in November 2023. However, he spent time bouncing between the minor league affiliates of the Padres, Miami Marlins, and most recently, the Detroit Tigers, where he was not on the 40-man roster, making a big league call-up difficult.

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Go Woo-seok will be added to the Major League roster.

MLB Trade Rumors highlighted Go's strong performance in Triple-A, where he posted a 2.60 ERA with a 29.1% strikeout rate over 27.2 innings for the Toledo Mud Hens, notably not allowing any home runs. While acknowledging some struggles with his walk rate, the outlet suggested his overall efforts warrant a chance at the majors.

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Go Woo-seok recorded excellent performance in Triple-A with a 2.60 ERA and an impressive 29.1% strikeout rate over 27.2 innings, not allowing a single home run.

The Twins' need for bullpen help presents a significant opportunity for Go. Minnesota's bullpen has struggled this season, ranking 23rd in MLB with a 5.28 ERA. Despite Go's occasional control issues, his strikeout ability and groundball tendencies could be attractive to a team desperate for relief pitching. If he makes his debut, Go would become the 30th South Korean player to appear in MLB, capping a nearly three-year journey to reach the pinnacle of professional baseball.

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Go Woo-seok has shown enough effort to advance to Major League Baseball.