'The Moment After Waiting Three Years': Ko Woo-seok Shines, Finally Secures First MLB Hold... Top Speed 154.8 km/h [MIN Review]

*This content was translated by AI.

After three seasons since joining the U.S., Ko Woo-seok (28, Minnesota Twins) finally made it to the big leagues and secured a hold in his second game.

On the 12th (Korean time), Ko appeared in the bottom of the eighth inning with his team leading 5-3 during a home game against the Los Angeles Angels at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) season. He threw 21 pitches over one inning, allowing just one hit and one walk while remaining scoreless.

Ko Woo-seok secured his first hold in the big leagues by preserving his team's lead under save situation conditions. Yoendrys Gómez also contributed to the team's 5-3 victory by shutting out the ninth inning without allowing any runs. Ko, who had given up a home run and allowed runs in his debut game, lowered his ERA from 9.00 to 4.50.

Minnesota took the lead starting in the second inning. Following a walk by Cody Clemens, Royce Lewis hit a two-run home run. Victor Caratini then drew a walk, Tristan Gray recorded a hit, and Luke Keaschall hit a sacrifice fly, extending the score to 3-0.

In the bottom of the third inning, Minnesota allowed consecutive hits from Jack Nieto and Mike Trout. They surrendered two more runs when Jorge Soler hit a double. In the bottom of the seventh, they allowed a hit and a stolen base by Nieto, followed by a tying RBI single by Nola Chanoel.

However, Minnesota quickly turned the tide in the top of the seventh. After Lewis hit a double, Caratini delivered an RBI double to take the lead, and Alan Roldán added another RBI single.

As soon as they regained the lead, Ko Woo-seok appeared on the mound. He replaced Tommy Nance, who had joined via trade the previous day and protected the seventh inning, stepping onto the mound.

Facing Ben Grisham as the first batter, Ko threw a slider on the first pitch, a four-seam fastball on the second, and a splitter on the third. Grisham swung at all three but fouled them off. With a favorable count, Ko threw a curveball that broke outside, forcing Roldán to swing without choice. The ball became an out to right field.

Next, he faced Joe Adel. In a full-count battle, he threw a 96.2 mph (154.8 km/h) fastball, but it landed slightly below the zone for a walk. The initial call was a strikeout, but Adel challenged the call, and it was overturned to a ball.

Against Wade McLoughlin, Ko threw a splitter on the outer edge with a 1-0 count, resulting in a ground ball toward second base with the runner advancing to second.

With two outs and a runner on second, he faced Danger Gusman and engaged in a tough battle inside. The count went full, and after throwing a slider, it became an infield hit toward shortstop. Fortunately, the runner at second did not advance.

With two outs and runners on first and second, the coaching staff visited the mound but made no substitution. Ko threw a low slider to Logan Ohapfi on the first pitch, inducing a swing and miss. On the second pitch, he delivered another slider on the outer edge toward shortstop, ending the inning with a line drive.

His fastest pitch of the day was 154.8 km/h. He mixed four-seam fastballs, sliders, curveballs, and splitters effectively, demonstrating that he can compete at the big league level.

With this win, Minnesota improved to 47 wins and 49 losses, maintaining third place in the American League Central Division. They trail co-leaders Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians by three games and sit fourth in the American League Wild Card race.

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*This content was translated by AI.