Seoul: Hours after former LG Twins closer Go Woo-suk was released by his U.S. minor league team, Twins skipper Youm Kyoung-youb expressed his eagerness to have the right-hander return to his team. However, Youm emphasized that he will respect whatever decision Go makes regarding his future.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Go Woo-suk was released earlier by the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins, and became a free agent. Go initially signed with the San Diego Padres in January 2024 but did not make it to Major League Baseball (MLB) with them. He was subsequently traded to the Marlins, where he remained in the minors throughout last season.
This year, Go was invited to the Marlins’ spring training as a non-roster player but suffered a finger injury that hindered his chance to compete for a spot in the big league. After recovering from his injury in early May, Go participated in five outings with the Jumbo Shrimp, recording a 1.59 ERA over 5 2/3 innings without a win-loss record.
Go first debuted in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) with the LG Twins in 2017 and became the team’s closer in 2019. From 2019 to 2023, he led all KBO relievers with 139 saves. “What happened to him is really unfortunate, because he went there trying to make it in the majors and things didn’t work out,” Youm stated before a game against the NC Dinos at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. “Obviously, we’d love to have him back. He would help our club. But more than anything, he has to make up his mind first.”
Since Go went through the posting process to sign with the Padres, the LG Twins still hold his rights if he decides to return to the KBO. “Once he decides to come home, then our front office will take care of it,” Youm added.
Meanwhile, the Twins received a boost to their bullpen as reliever Yi Jung-yong returned from mandatory military service. The 29-year-old had previously been a key reliever for the Twins and played a significant role during the Twins’ journey to the 2023 Korean Series title. Yi pitched four shutout innings across four outings and recorded a save, contributing to the Twins’ victory over the KT Wiz in five games. Youm mentioned that he plans to gradually reintroduce Yi to the action, limiting him to one inning at a time if possible.