Go Woo-seok's American Dream Ends, He Returns to South Korea to Rejoin His Former Team, the LG Twins

Go Woo-seok, a South Korean right-handed pitcher who had been playing in the U.S., was let go by the Minnesota Twins two days ago, making him a free agent. As of today (September 1), reports indicate he is heading back to South Korea, intending to sign a new contract with his old team, the LG Twins. Notably, because of the rules, even if he rejoins the club, he can only appear in regular-season games and will be ineligible for the playoffs.

After the conclusion of the 2023 season, Go Woo-seok went to the United States via the posting system. He signed with the San Diego Padres but was sent down to the minor leagues before the season even started. He was traded to the Miami Marlins after less than a season with the Padres, then moved on to the Detroit Tigers and eventually the Twins. It wasn’t until July of this year that he finally got the call-up and made his major league debut wearing the Twins uniform.

However, Go Woo-seok’s major league stint was very brief. After just two weeks, he was optioned back to Triple-A, leaving a record of four appearances with a 9.00 ERA. He returned to Triple-A, but on August 28, the team designated him for assignment and removed him from the 40-man roster. Two days later, they decided to release him, making him a free agent.

Now back on the free agent market, Go Woo-seok has decided to stop chasing his "American dream." According to South Korean media reports, he will return to South Korea and join his former team, the LG Twins. Team general manager Cha Myung-suk said in an interview: "Go Woo-seok has expressed his intention to return to the team. He has already boarded a flight to South Korea and we plan to meet with him this afternoon to discuss contract matters."

If Go Woo-seok indeed returns to pitch in the KBO, he will be limited to the regular season only. This is because, according to the rules, players must be registered by July 31 to be eligible for this year's postseason.

The LG Twins currently rank fourth in the standings, with no games behind the third-place Kia Tigers and five games behind the second-place KT Wiz. If they can continue to close the gap in the regular season and move out of fourth place, they might have a chance to avoid the wild card game or even advance directly to the postseason rounds.