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The Twins made a rather interesting trade on Sunday night, acquiring Korean reliever Woo-Suk Go from the Tigers for cash considerations.
Go has an assignment clause in his contract and must be added to Minnesota's roster, according to The Athletic's Dan Hayes, so he'll officially join the team's bullpen on Tuesday ahead of this week's six-game homestand that leads into the All-Star break.
Go, who turns 28 next month, will be making his MLB debut whenever he first appears in a game for the Twins.
It's been 2.5 years since he signed his first MLB contract and departed his native South Korea, but he hasn't yet been able to earn a spot in a big-league bullpen.
Fortunately for him, the Twins have been desperate for bullpen help all season long.
Born in Incheon, Go debuted for the KBO's LG Twins at 18 years old in 2017.
He spent the next seven seasons with the club, culminating in a Korean Series championship in 2023.
During that time, pitching exclusively in relief, Go had a 3.18 ERA over 368.1 innings.
He struck out 401 batters and walked 163.
He also recorded 139 saves, including 42 in 2022 and 35 in 2019.
Go was particularly dominant in that 2022 season, when he had a 1.48 ERA with 80 strikeouts in 60.2 innings.
In January 2024, Go made the jump to MLB via the KBO's posting system, signing a two-year, $4.5 million contract with the Padres.
But his transition to the United States wasn't exactly a smooth one.
Go struggled in five Spring Training appearances for San Diego and was optioned to Double-A to begin the season.
Not long after that, he was traded to the Marlins alongside a few prospects in the Luis Arraez deal.
Things didn't go well for Go following the trade, as he struggled quite a bit in both Double-A and Triple-A for the Marlins.
He wound up being released by Miami in June 2025 and signing a minor-league deal with the Tigers.
And this year, he has finally started to look like his KBO self again.
It started with the World Baseball Classic in March, when Go did not allow a hit or walk across 3.2 innings for Korea.
He carried that momentum into the season and posted a 1.96 ERA in 41.1 innings between Double-A and Triple-A in Detroit's system, with 54 strikeouts, 13 walks, and only one home run allowed.
Now he'll get his first opportunity in the big leagues.
It's fitting that it'll come with the Minnesota Twins, considering he spent seven years in Korea with the LG Twins.
Go is a 5'11" righty who has a mid-90s fastball that he complements with a slider, curveball, and splitter.
He has the on-paper stuff to do well as an MLB reliever, but he'll need to command it well in order to get outs at this level.
It's worth a shot for the Twins, as Go certainly has a chance to be an upgrade over the likes of Eric Orze, Cody Laweryson, and Travis Adams.
Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams.
He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period.
Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism.
During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nations Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year.
In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrateds newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.
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