Minneapolis: The Detroit Tigers have reportedly traded reliever Go Woo-suk to the Minnesota Twins, putting the South Korean pitcher on the verge of a major league debut.
According to Yonhap News Agency, MLive Media Group's Evan Woodbery tweeted on Sunday (U.S. local time) that the Twins were acquiring Go in exchange for cash consideration. Dan Hayes of The Athletic further reported that Go, who was not included in the Tigers' 40-man roster, has an assignment clause in his contract and must now be added to the Twins' roster.
Later that day, the Minnesota Star Tribune confirmed that Go will be included in his new club's 26-man roster for Tuesday's game against the Cleveland Guardians at Target Field in Minneapolis. If Go takes the mound this week, he will become the 30th South Korean player in Major League Baseball (MLB) history, joining his brother-in-law, San Francisco Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo, as the only two active South Korean players in MLB currently.
Go, 27, has been performing impressively in the minors for the Tigers, recording a 0.66 ERA in eight outings in Double-A and a 2.60 ERA in 19 appearances covering 27 2/3 innings in Triple-A. Across these two levels, Go has achieved 54 strikeouts in 41 1/3 innings.
The right-hander was a two-time All-Star for the LG Twins in the Korea Baseball Organization, leading the South Korean league with 139 saves from 2019 to 2023. Go signed with the San Diego Padres in January 2024 but was traded to the Miami Marlins in May without having pitched in Major League Baseball. After being released by the Marlins in June 2025, the Tigers acquired him on a minor league deal, where he spent the rest of the 2025 season in Triple-A.
Go became a free agent in November and rejoined the Tigers on a minor league contract in December. He also represented South Korea at the World Baseball Classic in March and has pitched effectively enough to earn a chance in the big leagues.
The Minnesota Twins have an open spot on their 40-man roster, avoiding the need for a corresponding move. Despite having the worst bullpen ERA in the majors at 5.28 and opponents hitting .264 against their relievers, the Twins remain in contention for a wild card spot in the American League. Go, however, will not be guaranteed a long tenure out of the bullpen.
In May, Go had declined an offer from the LG Twins to return, expressing his desire to continue pursuing his major league aspirations.