Local reports say Ko Woo-suk has become likely to be added to a Major League Baseball (MLB) big-league roster after being traded to the Minnesota Twins.
MLB Trade Rumors, an outlet specializing in player transaction news, reported Sunday (Korea time) that "Minnesota acquired right-handed pitcher Ko Woo-suk from the Detroit Tigers through a cash trade." The Athletic's Dan Hayes also reported that "Ko Woo-suk was not on Detroit's 40-man roster, but under a contract clause, Minnesota must add him to its major league roster."
According to local reports, Ko will reach the major league stage about two years and eight months after he challenged the big leagues through the posting system in November 2023. If Ko is added to the major league roster and appears in an actual game, he will become the 30th Korean big-leaguer in history, following Park Chan-ho in 1994.
Ko signed a minor league contract with Detroit last December but failed to make the spring camp invitation list, spending most of this season in Triple-A. In Triple-A, however, he appeared in 19 games and posted a 3-1 record with three holds, two saves, and a 2.60 ERA over 27⅔ innings, delivering his most stable pitching since arriving in the United States. In particular, he allowed not a single home run in Triple-A this season, showcasing dominant stuff.
MLB Trade Rumors assessed that "Ko's batting average on balls in play (BABIP) of .239 suggests he had some luck, but overall, Ko earned his major league promotion on his own."
