*This content was translated by AI.
Having achieved his dream of playing in the majors, Ko Woo-seok (28) has an even stronger will to make another attempt, but he was unexpectedly hindered by bad news. Local media are closely watching this situation and diagnosed it as having a clear negative impact on Ko Woo-seok.
Twin's Daily, a media outlet that mainly covers Minnesota news, reported on the 28th (Korean time) that "Ko Woo-seok received a 10-game suspension instead of getting an opportunity to prove himself," and added that "the path to his return has become much more difficult."
Ko Woo-seok, who belongs to the Triple-A team Saint Paul Saints under the Minnesota Twins, was ordered ejected by the umpires during a glove inspection before entering the game as a relief pitcher in the bottom of the 7th inning on the 25th at CHS Field in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The opponent was the Columbus Clippers (under the Cleveland Guardians).
The umpires spent a long time examining the inside of the glove where the left hand goes, touched something inside the glove with their fingers, checked it several times, and after gathering together to discuss for a while, they finally decided on ejection. This automatically resulted in a 10-game suspension.
He signed a 2+1-year contract worth up to $9.4 million (approximately 13.7 billion won) with the San Diego Padres through the posting system in 2024 and headed to the U.S., but instead of expectations, he had to walk a thorny path. Due to poor performance in spring training, he started the season in the minor leagues and has not yet crossed the threshold to the majors even after two years.
While moving teams from San Diego to the Miami Marlins and then to the Detroit Tigers, he shuttled between Double-A and Triple-A.
This season in the minor leagues, he recorded 27 games, 41⅓ innings, 3 wins, 1 loss, 4 saves, 3 holds, an ERA of 1.96, a batting average against of 0.145, and a WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) of just 0.82. He boasted perfect numbers, striking out 54 batters while allowing only 13 walks.
After being traded on the 6th and subsequently called up to the majors, he gave up a home run in his debut but pitched a solid inning. In the following two games, he shut down both innings with perfect pitching. On the 21st against the Cleveland Guardians, he allowed 4 hits (including 1 home run) over one inning, recorded 2 strikeouts, and gave up 3 runs before returning to the minor leagues, but he left enough potential and appeared poised to get another opportunity in the future.
Twin's Daily also reported that "the demotion was not particularly surprising. Minnesota hoped Ko Woo-seok would improve issues with his pitching mechanics while giving other relief pitchers a chance. There was an expectation that if he showed good form a few times at Saint Paul, there was a possibility of being called up again."
Another local media outlet, the Pioneer Press, also stated, "Since Ko Woo-seok still has minor league options remaining, it is highly likely that the Twins will move him between Triple-A and the major league roster for the rest of the season," adding, "When Minnesota needs a fresh arm in their bullpen, Ko Woo-seok could be the next candidate for a call-up."
However, the suspension has become a major setback for Ko Woo-seok. Twin's Daily noted that "Minnesota's bullpen has been inconsistent throughout the season, so there is still a possibility of returning to the majors after the 10th-game suspension ends," but emphasized that "the process has become much more difficult."
It further stated, "For players on the borderline fighting for a spot in the major league roster, there is almost no room to make up for mistakes. Moreover, the suspension related to an illegal foreign substance has left questions that Ko Woo-seok must resolve directly through his future performance." The report added, "Minnesota expected him to become another successful comeback story, but before that, he must first regain the trust of the organization."
Ko Woo-seok maintains that he was wronged. On the 27th, through his social networking service (SNS), he stated, "I have never used any illegal substance that could affect my pitching," and announced, "To clear my name, I plan to file an appeal through the players' union."
However, in such cases, initial decisions are rarely overturned. A more realistic approach is to address the issues during the suspension period and maintain his pitching feel so that when he returns to the mound, he can deliver a perfect performance.
Twin's Daily explained, "If he can regain the overwhelming form he showed in Detroit's farm system, there remains a possibility of being called up by Minnesota again," but added, "However, due to this new setback, he finds himself in a situation where he must fight for that opportunity from scratch."
For Ko Woo-seok, who must constantly prove himself and seek the next opportunity, the suspension is extremely painful. However, there is also a difference in temperature regarding the severity of the situation among local media. The Pioneer Press noted, "A 10-game suspension is not an ideal situation," but added, "In reality, a 10-game suspension for a relief pitcher means roughly missing 2 to 4 games. Ko Woo-seok should be able to maintain his pitching feel by working out in the bullpen," offering a somewhat positive outlook.
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*This content was translated by AI.
