11:12pm: LG announced that while they’ll allow Go to explore MLB offers, they’ll reevaluate the posting decision with the pitcher after his market crystallizes (relayed by Dan Kurtz of MyKBO). It seems the club prefers to keep open the possibility of rejecting Go’s posting at a later date if his contract offers are low — which would reduce the team’s posting fee since that is directly tied to the guarantee that Go receives.
10:18pm: The LG Twins of the Korea Baseball Organization have agreed to make closer Woo-Suk Go available to MLB teams via the posting system, according to a Korean-language report from Spochoo. It is unclear when the posting will be made official.
Go, 25, appeared on the MLB radar last week. Reports emerged that MLB had tendered a status check on the 5’11” right-hander, the standard procedure when one or more big league teams is showing interest in a KBO player who is eligible to be posted. Go subsequently requested that the Twins allow him to explore MLB opportunities. While the club is under no obligation to do so, the Spochoo report indicates they decided to defer to the player’s wishes.
This doesn’t guarantee that Go will sign with a major league team. Once the posting is made official, it will open up a 45-day window for his camp to negotiate with MLB clubs. If Go doesn’t sign in that time period, he’d return to the LG Twins.
Over parts of seven seasons at South Korea’s top level, Go carries a 3.18 ERA. He struggled as a teenager in his first two years before turning in a 2.17 ERA or better in three of his next four seasons. That mark jumped to 3.68 over 44 frames in 2023. He struck out an excellent 31.1% of opposing hitters but walked an elevated 11.8% of batters faced. Go had demonstrated better control in 2021-22 and has fanned at least 28% of hitters in three straight seasons.
Last offseason, Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs pegged Go as a 40 FV prospect. His report noted that Go sits in the mid-90s and has touched 98, suggesting he could fit in the middle innings for an MLB team. The pitcher has plenty of high-leverage experience in Korea, where he has topped 30 saves on three occasions.
Since Go will be made available via the posting system rather than unrestricted international free agency, a signing MLB team would owe compensation to the Twins. They’d pay a posting fee equal to 20% of the contract, assuming the guarantee checks in below $25MM.
