Could Woo-Suk Go Quickly Become a High-Leverage Reliever?

[Cody Schoenmann]

Signed to a two-year, $4.5 million contract by the San Diego Padres in early January 2024 as an international free agent emigrating from the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO), Woo-Suk Go was traded alongside Jakob Marsee, Dillon Head, and Nathan Martorella to the Miami Marlins for Luis Arraez on May 4, 2024. Throwing only 12 1/3 innings for San Diego’s Double-A affiliate, Go was almost immediately uprooted from the organization he chose ot begin his affiliated ball career with, joining a new organization on the opposite side of the country,

 

Unsurprisingly, the then-25-year-old struggled after undergoing multiple life-altering moves in a four-month span, posting a 10.42 ERA, 5.52 FIP, and a 23-to-11 strikeout to walk ratio over 19 innings pitched for Miami’s Double-A affiliate. Yet, given Go’s unique contractual circumstance, Miami elected to promote him to Triple-A, wherein he generated a 4.29 ERA, 6.00 FIP, and a 14-to-7 strikeout ratio. Go bounced between Miami’s complex league, Low-A, High-A, and Triple-A affiliates before getting designated for assignment in June 2025 and subsequently released.

 

The right-handed reliever signed a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers, throwing a combined 27 innings pitched between the organization’s High-A and Triple-A clubs, before re-signing with the organization after the 2025 season. The now-26-year-old began his 2026 campaign dominating over 13 2/3 innings pitched (0.66 ERA, 1.98 FIP, 44.9% strikeout rate) for Detroit’s Double-A affiliate, before earning a promotion to Triple-A Toledo in early May. The former KBO star has continued his dominance at the highest minor league level, posting a 1.96 ERA, 2.28 FIP, and a 29.1% strikeout rate over 27 2/3 innings.

 

Exercising his escalation clause, Detroit elected not to add Go to its 40-man roster, trading the former KBO star to Minnesota this past Sunday. In turn, he will join Minnesota’s eight-pitcher bullpen as the club begins a three-game series against Cleveland on Tuesday, expected to make his major league debut this week. Again, Go has struggled mightily since emigrating from South Korea and beginning his affiliated ball career stateside in 2024. However, the former KBO star appears to have found his footing in the high minors this season, signaling he could still become a viable major league reliever despite his early-career shortcomings.

 

In fact, Go has a chance to quickly insert himself as a high-leverage reliever for the Twins, which currently possesses the fifth-worst bullpen in baseball, according to Wins Above Replacement at Fangraphs (fWAR). Despite having one of the worst relief collectives in the sport, Minnesota has produced two developmental success stories in the unit, highlighted by Yoendrys Gomez’s and Andrew Morris’s ascent to reliable, high-leverage arms. Unfortunately, the sextet of Taylor Rogers, Travis Adams, Eric Orze, Kody Funderburk, Cody Laweryson, and Marco Raya has barely performed above replacement level, combining for 0.2 fWAR.

 

Having one of the least effective relief corps in baseball, Minnesota is aggressively looking for late-inning arms to pair alongside Morris and Gomez. Interestingly, Go’s aggressiveness on the mound could be a driving factor in him earning a high-leverage relief role with the Twins. Primarily relying on his four-seam fastball and cutter, the former LG Twin has attacked hitters in the strike zone with his fastball variants, evidenced by a 45.6% zone rate. More importantly, he is getting hitters to swing and miss on pitches in the zone, as evidenced by an above-average 30.2% whiff rate. His fastball variants are velocity-deficient, sitting around 92-94 MPH. However, his fastball variants have plus ride and command, allowing him to attack hitters with pitches high in the zone early and often.

 

Go has also relied on curve more often in 2026, raising his usage rate from 5.8% in 2025 to 19.3% this season. Operating as his primary breaking pitch, he attacks hitters low in the zone, generating a ton of swing and miss. Despite the pitch hovering around 80 MPH, it has become a real out pitch, evidenced by opposing batters generating a measly .163 wOBA against it. Again, Go’s lack of fastball velocity is a concern. Yet, if he can continue locating his four-seam and cutter up in the zone while utilizing his curve as a true out pitch, Go’s three-pitch mix could guide him toward sustained success in the majors.

 

He also leans on his splitter 7.9% of the time. Despite his minimal usage rate, the righty could ramp up his splitter usage with Minnesota, considering it has generated plus results similar to his curve. Go could struggle during his first cup of coffee in the majors, quickly working his way out of the Twins bullpen. Yet, given his history of being one of the best relievers in the KBO for multiple seasons, his plus performance and improved stuff in the high minors this season, and Minnesota’s glaring need for plus bullpen arms, Go could quickly earn a high-leverage role in the club’s shaky bullpen.

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[CRF]

Well...ya gotta throw him out there to find out, and hope he doesn't suk!

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

If you keep throwing mud (or an expletive) against the wall, eventually, some of it has to stick. Right?!

Whom do the Twins get rid of to make room for Go? I have a feeling it is Raya rather than Adams or Lawyerson. Twins seem intent on making things work with Adams. 

[thelanges5]

12 minutes ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

If you keep throwing mud (or an expletive) against the wall, eventually, some of it has to stick. Right?!

Whom do the Twins get rid of to make room for Go? I have a feeling it is Raya rather than Adams or Lawyerson. Twins seem intent on making things work with Adams. 

Lawyerson is on the transaction report. 

[CRF]

15 minutes ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

If you keep throwing mud (or an expletive) against the wall, eventually, some of it has to stick. Right?!

Whom do the Twins get rid of to make room for Go? I have a feeling it is Raya rather than Adams or Lawyerson. Twins seem intent on making things work with Adams. 

Please let it be Lawyerson. 

[Mike Sixel]

Could? Sure. I could win the lottery. 

Will? We can hope, but hope isn't a strategy. 

[Dman]

We'll see if those AAA numbers translate in any way to MLB.  It doesn't sound like he has a big fastball and has control issues.  Major league hitters can hit all kinds of junk and don't swing outside the zone much.  I'd think the Tigers wouldn't have given him to a division rival if they thought he had any chance of being a high leverage pen arm.

We are just gonna have to wait and see.  Hoping for the best prepared for the worst.

 

[DocBauer]

I just have to say I don't think it's fair to have included Raya in comments concerning bullpen failings. The kid just came up and has looked OK so far in a handful of appearances. While obviously lacking experience, I've got excitement to see what Raya and CJ Culpepper...CJ not even up yet...can do over the rest of the season to help, and to gain experience for 2027. I like their long term potential more.

But yes, I'm a little excited to see what Go can do. I'm a little surprised Detroit didn't want to give him a shot. Why keep him around and then let him go just as he was throwing well?

But high leverage? Maybe because of his experience and a lack of options, but how about seeing if he can be a reliable middle man first?] 

I like his experience and I like his mix. I like that his career is on an upswing in 2026, starting with performing well for Korea in the Baseball Classic. Is this one of those "right time and right place" scenarios? Let's hope so.

 

[DJL44]

Throwing junk can work if you can throw strikes. He was walking everyone last season but has found the strike zone in 2026.

[Sjoski]

Go has 3 of the top 3 things this FO is looking for:

1. Does he have an arm?

2. Is he available?

3. Is he cheap?

Sign here_________.

 

[Patzky]

It is.

[Patzky]

A pitcher named Go is like a batter named Waite. It could go either way .

[MMMordabito]

Twins play the Mariners July 31 - August 2.  Dan Gladden should be on the radio for all three games.  Hope the Mariners rotation lines up for a Danny dance on the airwaves.

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

There's still some residue from Falvey's thinking that he's the smartest guy in the room. Twins really do think the dumpster diving for relief pitchers with questionable stuff and control issues is going to suddenly pay off. Soft-tossing, can't find the plate - what can possibly go wrong.

[Mike Sixel]

Just now, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

There's still some residue from Falvey's thinking that he's the smartest guy in the room. Twins really do think the dumpster diving for relief pitchers with questionable stuff and control issues is going to suddenly pay off. Soft-tossing, can't find the plate - what can possibly go wrong.

I mean, what would you do differently today? We can't go back in time, and there aren't trades yet.

This isn't hubris, it's ownership cheapness, which we've seen across multiple GMs. 

[bean5302]

It turns out you don't have to only sign high priced free agents when you build a team, and blowing your entire budget on declining DH's while pretending they can play defensive positions like they did in their 20s doesn't work, either. The Pohlad's provided a budget, Falzoll doesn't understand how that works. If Falzoll failed despite actually addressing the needs of the team rather than building an indestructible 72 win floor team rather than a 95 win ceiling team, the Pohlad's stupid payroll cut decisions would carry more weight.

[bean5302]

Woo-Suk Go is unable to throw strikes, and hitters don't chase his stuff out of the zone. For Detroit's AAA club, Go only managed a abysmal 39% first pitch strike rate. That's going nowhere at the MLB level.

[ashbury]

3 hours ago, Cody Schoenmann said:

Quote

Could Woo-Suk Go Quickly

Yes.  He most certainly could.

[HarmonK03]

1 hour ago, Mike Sixel said:

This isn't hubris, it's ownership cheapness, which we've seen across multiple GMs. 

Other GM's have worked with the same budgets as ours and shown better results.  Even Ryan did better in his first stint as GM in a different era.  Last offseason Falvey had at least $14m to spend and he chose not to invest in even one bullpen arm other than the bottom of the barrel.

Don't look at the results from June, look at the time the signings were made, they were both questionable.  Falvey never was able to construct a good roster with the resources given to him and player development especially on the position side has been abysmal.  That is not on the owners.  They need to find a competent person to run the baseball operations like the Wolves have done with  Tim Connelly.  

 

[tarheeltwinsfan]

3 hours ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

If you keep throwing mud (or an expletive) against the wall, eventually, some of it has to stick. Right?!

Whom do the Twins get rid of to make room for Go? I have a feeling it is Raya rather than Adams or Lawyerson. Twins seem intent on making things work with Adams. 

Lawyerson

[Patzky]

1 hour ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

There's still some residue from Falvey's thinking that he's the smartest guy in the room. Twins really do think the dumpster diving for relief pitchers with questionable stuff and control issues is going to suddenly pay off. Soft-tossing, can't find the plate - what can possibly go wrong.

There's Keuchel soft and Ober Soft, if he has the control of either it won't be bad in short doses. 

[HarmonK03]

What does he do that the Twins see that make them think he will be an answer to the bullpen woes.  Is it he is breathing and has an arm.  If he doesn't throw hard and can't throw strikes, which I thought were attributes they were looking for in bullpen arms.  At some point roll with the arms you have developed and see what you have.  The only positive about him is he is younger, so maybe they can turn him around like Gomez.  But your strategy can't be hope which seems to be what they are thriving on.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

2 hours ago, Patzky said:

A pitcher named Go is like a batter named Waite. It could go either way .

Outman should change his position to pitcher, based on his name.

[HarmonK03]

1 hour ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

There's still some residue from Falvey's thinking that he's the smartest guy in the room.

This is the culture Falvey built and obviously Zoll agrees with or he wouldn't have accepted his promotion to GM 2 years ago.  Nothing has changed with this front office, so many here seem to think they are going to change how they operate because Falvey is gone.  I am sure he did not sit at his desk and decree all his decisions like a king.  The staff believes in this philosophy and it won't change until Zoll is gone and a new head of baseball operations is brought in.

[Patzky]

15 minutes ago, tarheeltwinsfan said:

Outman should change his position to pitcher, based on his name.

As long as he doesn't listen to pitchcom on his Walkman

[AceWrigley]

Can you have a stopper named Go?

[Patzky]

3 minutes ago, AceWrigley said:

Can you have a stopper named Go?

We have plenty that already Suk

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

2 hours ago, Mike Sixel said:

I mean, what would you do differently today? We can't go back in time, and there aren't trades yet.

This isn't hubris, it's ownership cheapness, which we've seen across multiple GMs. 

They're in this mess because of investing in the likes of Orze, Rogers, Topa, Garcia, Lawrence, etc.. Soft-tossing, or old, or control issues. They're doubling down. Make a mistake. And repeat it. Time and again. At least change the approach - go dumpster diving, fine but try to identify a different skill set. 

[jmlease1]

3 hours ago, Dman said:

I'd think the Tigers wouldn't have given him to a division rival if they thought he had any chance of being a high leverage pen arm.

Tigers wouldn't have any idea where he was going to go when he exercised his "promote me or release me" clause. It's not a trade.

He's been good in the minors this year, he was good in the WBC, why not give him a shot?

[ashbury]

3 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

Tigers wouldn't have any idea where he was going to go when he exercised his "promote me or release me" clause. It's not a trade.

MLBTR characterizes it as a trade.  Cash considerations going to the Tigers.