South Korean pitcher Go Woo-suk becomes free agent after refusing minor league assignment

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean pitcher Go Woo-suk has become a free agent after refusing an outright assignment to the minor league by the Minnesota Twins.

The Twins announced Monday (U.S. local time) that Go elected free agency instead of accepting another stint with their Triple-A club, the St. Paul Saints.

The Twins had designated Go for assignment Friday. Once a player is designated for assignment, he can be traded or placed on irrevocable waivers within seven days. And if the player clears waivers -- that is, if no team picks that player from waivers -- then he may be sent outright to the minors or released, becoming a free agent.

With the annual trade deadline already gone, Go waited to see if any team would pick him off waivers. After no team did, the Twins sought to send the South Korean pitcher back to St. Paul.

However, a player who has previously been outrighted in his career has the right to refuse a minor-league assignment and immediately become a free agent.

Go, who was designated for assignment by the Miami Marlins in May 2024, exercised that right.

Go's free agency likely opens the door for him to rejoin his former Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club, the LG Twins.

Go pitched for them from 2017 to 2023. He became their full-time closer in 2019, and over the next five seasons, Go compiled 139 saves, more than any other KBO closer in that stretch.

Go signed with the San Diego Padres in January 2024 but bounced around multiple organizations before finally making his Major League Baseball debut with the Minnesota Twins on July 9 this year.

He lasted just four games with Minnesota, pitching to a 9.00 ERA in four innings after allowing four runs on eight hits, including two home runs. He was sent to St. Paul after serving up three runs on four hits in one inning on July 20.

Four days later, in what would have been his Saints debut, Go was ejected for having an illegal substance in his glove. He was initially suspended for 10 games but had it reduced to eight games following an appeal.

After his suspension ended, Go went on to post a 12.54 ERA across eight outings, with 13 earned runs allowed on nine hits and 11 walks in just 9 1/3 innings.

The LG Twins, the 2025 Korean Series champions, are in the thick of a postseason battle, currently occupying fourth place with a win-loss-tie record of 64-51-1.

Their pitching staff has been decimated by injuries all season. They rank seventh among 10 KBO teams with a 4.92 ERA, and their relievers have the fifth-best ERA at 5.16.

You Young-chan, who succeeded Go as the closer in 2024, underwent season-ending elbow surgery in April. It forced the Twins to convert starting pitcher Son Ju-young to closer.

They have also cycled through several setup men, while veteran Kim Jin-sung is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury.

While Go would provide an immediate jolt to the Twins' bullpen, he will not be eligible to pitch for them in the postseason. Players must be on an active roster by July 31 to be allowed to compete in postseason games.