'First day in the bullpen only': Ko Woo-seok joins Minnesota, MLB debut postponed to 'next time'

*This content was translated by AI.

Ko Woo-seok (28), who transferred from the Detroit Tigers to the Minnesota Twins, has finally joined the 26th-man roster of Major League Baseball (MLB), but his big league debut has been postponed to a later opportunity.

On the 8th (Korean time), Ko waited in the bullpen at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for the home game against the Cleveland Guardians as part of '2026 MLB'. However, with starting pitcher Taj Bradley delivering an outstanding seven-inning performance and the game remaining tight, he was unable to get a chance to take the mound.

Bradley, Minnesota's starter that day, threw 101 pitches over seven innings, allowing only three hits (including one home run), issuing no walks, striking out ten batters, and surrendering just one earned run, effectively shutting down Cleveland's lineup. After Bradley covered seven innings, the Minnesota bench brought in Andrew Morris (one inning), Taylor Rogers (two-thirds of an inning), and Yoendris Gómez (one-third of an inning) to close out the game. With the score remaining tight at 3-1, the Twins relied heavily on their bullpen, and ultimately Ko had to be content watching from the bullpen as the team secured its third consecutive victory.

Ko joined the KBO League's LG Twins as a first-round draft pick in 2017 and went on to become one of the league's top closers. In 2022, he led the league with 42 saves. After the 2023 season, he signed with the San Diego Padres through the posting system to challenge in the United States but faced a series of setbacks, including demotion to the minor leagues, a trade to the Miami Marlins, injuries, and release.

Despite these challenges, Ko chose to stay in the U.S. rather than return to Korea, signing a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers in 2025 and continuing his pursuit of success. This year, he bounced back impressively, alternating between Double-A and Triple-A, posting a record of 3 wins, 1 loss, 3 holds, and 4 saves over 27 games (41⅓ innings) with an ERA of 1.96.

The opportunity came unexpectedly when Minnesota acquired Ko via a cash trade with Detroit on the 6th. Under the 'Upward Mobility Clause' included in Ko's contract, Minnesota was required to register him on its 26-man major league roster immediately upon acquisition.

Assigned jersey number 1 by Minnesota ahead of that day's game, Ko officially joined the team. Although his debut did not materialize on the first day, he is now fully prepared to step onto a big league mound at any moment. It remains to be seen when Ko, who has endured a turbulent minor league journey and reached the doorstep of his dream stage, will make his MLB debut in a Minnesota uniform.

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*This content was translated by AI.