The Marlins on Thursday acquired recently DFA’ed right-hander Shaun Anderson from the Rangers in exchange for cash, reports Craig Mish of SportsGrid (X link)*. In order to open a spot on the 40-man roster, Miami designated right-hander Woo-Suk Go for assignment.
Anderson, 29, appeared in only two games with Texas, logging 3 1/3 innings and yielding a pair of runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts. This marks the fifth MLB season in which he’s seen action at the game’s top level. Anderson has previously suited up for the Giants, Twins, Orioles, Padres and Blue Jays — in addition to a prior run in the Rangers’ minor league ranks. He’s pitched 139 big league innings but struggled to a 5.83 earned run average in that time. He’s intrigued several teams over the years thanks in large part to a high-spin slider that has the potential to be a true bat-missing offering, but the rest of his arsenal hasn’t helped him reach passable results.
Anderson split the 2023 season between the Phillies’ Triple-A club and the Korea Baseball Organization’s Kia Tigers, making 14 starts for the latter. During that brief KBO run, he notched a respectable 3.76 ERA with a 19% strikeout rate, 7.7% walk rate and 61.7% ground-ball rate (though ground-ball rates in the KBO always tend to be higher than in MLB, it should be noted). Anderson is in his final minor league option year, so he can be sent back and forth between Miami and Triple-A Jacksonville freely without needing to pass through waivers.
Go, 25, was one of the top relievers in the KBO in recent years and made his way to North American ball via the posting system this winter. The Padres signed him to a two-year, $4.5MM contract but almost immediately cut bait on him, sending him to the Marlins as a financial counterweight in the Luis Arraez trade earlier in the month. He’s pitched well in Triple-A since the trade, logging nine innings with a 3.00 ERA. However, he’s fanned only 8.3% of his opponents against a 5.6% walk rate.
During his outstanding run with the KBO’s LG Twins from 2019-23, Go posted a collective 2.39 ERA with 139 saves, a 30.2% strikeout rate, a 10% walk rate and a ground-ball rate north of 60%. He missed time in 2023 with a lower back injury but still pitched 44 innings of 3.68 ERA ball with a 31.1% strikeout rate, 11.6% walk rate and massive 65.8% grounder rate.
Scouting reports on Go had his fastball topping out at 98 mph in the KBO, but when he reported to spring training reports out of Padres camp suggested he was in the 92-94 mph range, topping out just shy of 95 mph. Though the Friars had envisioned him as a potential entrant into their late-inning mix, the decision to instead option him (to Double-A) and then include him in the Arraez trade suggests they quickly became less enamored of him once he joined the organization. That the Marlins are now jettisoning him from the 40-man roster suggests they’re similarly unenthused about the right-hander’s chances of contributing at the MLB level.
Because of that $4.5MM contract, Go seems like a lock to clear waivers if he makes it there. Miami will have five days to explore trade possibilities before placing him on waivers becomes a necessity. Waivers themselves would then be a 48-hour process. If Go clears, he’d likely accept an outright assignment to Jacksonville, allowing him to continue collecting his salary while endeavoring to pitch his way into the Marlins’ big league bullpen plans.
*MLBTR originally mistakenly indicated the Marlins had formally announced the trade for Anderson and DFA of Go. The team had not done so yet at the time. We regret the error.
Crash_n_burn
No Go for SD and Miami, wonder if anyone will make a claim for him?
Or he can stay in Miami’s system for another year after this one then head back to Korea to finish his career over there.
MLB Top 100 Commenter
Go Fish!
Go, fish!
No, just Go!
VegasSDfan
If you claim him, then he is on your 40 man roster i am guessing? I would suspect the Marlins want to keep him, but need the roster spot. I hope the best for him. His numbers are not bad, so we will see where he ends up. LA?
Fenway 1
I thought woo-suk go was supposed to be good coming over?
Roidville Slugger
I was thinking the same thing…back when he was traded.
Brew’88
Seems as though Arraez was worth more than Marlins received unless Dillon Head greatly exceeds expectations
MARLIN POWER 18
We received a lot more than just Dillon Head. Both Jakob Marsee and Nathan Martorella are solid prospects, so let’s see what happens.
Brew’88
@Marlin Power 18. re-read my post and didn’t mean to sound as if I’m putting down the Marlins chances here. I like Marsee a lot and hope he exceeds his projected lowish ceiling. And am really hoping Dillon H. becomes a star. Arraez sure can barrel it though…
SewaldSwansonSwoon
Is Woo Suk Go really that bad? I’m surprised. I thought he’d need an adjustment period at AAA, but not AA and with a DFA to boot!
SewaldSwansonSwoon
Oh, I see Miami had him in AAA. With a WHIP equivalent to his ERA…
YankeesBleacherCreature
It’s the lack of strikeouts. His current arsenal would get clobbered in the MLB.
JoeBrady
But he had strikeouts with the Padres. 15 in 12.1 IPs. It seems really odd that you would trade for someone, then cut them after 9 innings.
I just don’t see any motivation, unless they have a trade lined up requiring a 40-man slot.
myaccount2
Miami isn’t going to cut him. They had a full 40-man prior to this trade and needed to create a space for Anderson. A minor leaguer guaranteed $4.5M is an easy clear. He’ll be back in Jacksonville in no time and probably won’t even leave the area while in DFA limbo–I’m sure he knows he isn’t going anywhere.
Pads Fans
So do the Padres pick Go back up once he clears waivers?
YankeesBleacherCreature
Why not? He’s already a sunk cost and *could* provide value for next season?
Pads Fans
Padres are not paying any money for him. Marlins are. If he clears waivers they would be paying him the minimum and can stash him in AA or AAA.
Fernando Ringworm Jr.
He can’t elect free agency without forfeiting his salary so unless the Marlins straight up release him (which they have no real reason to) signing him for the minimum is not an option for SD.
YankeesBleacherCreature
My bad. Thought the Pads are paying him.
dvmin98
Sunk cost? Marlins took his contract in the trade AND paid all of Arraez contract as well.
DarkSide830
Maybe with salary retained. But the reason they dumped him was probably the money above all else.
Pads Fans
As the article talks about, Go was throwing 4-5 mph slower in spring training than he had in KBO.
Brew’88
Word from a Pads insider I talked to, who also happens to be my wife and may not be fully trusted, is that his 2023 back injury is still bothering him, but he’s working his way back. Will take more time than the Pads had envisioned.
myaccount2
No because the Marlins are probably going to outright him to AAA, not release him.
Fernando Ringworm Jr.
Only way to do that is by claiming him (and his salary).
Dennis Boyd
Ball is different between MLB and KBL, maybe he just can’t adjust to the slightly different ball due to hand size or other physical characteristic and he may never pan out.
Steinbrenner2728
It’s actually called the “KBO” as I’m also not sure what the talk is about his hand size or “other physical characteristic” you’re trying to convey about either.
Dennis Boyd
Don’t be an idiot. All people have different characteristics, any of which (like hand size) could cause one to excel in one league and not another. I’m not trying to convey anything other than what I wrote. But you’re obviously trying to convey that you’re a SJW, congrats.
Funnyhead
The size of between the MLB and the KBO are different. I believe the KBO ball is a tad smaller as well as grip where the MLB ball is more slick while the KBO ball has more grip
Dumpster Divin Theo
I’d like to see that buddy cop movie with Woo Suk Go and Jorge Lopez like now. Rush Hour 7.
Spaced-Cowboy
Tango & Cash has a better ring to it
Non Roster Invitee
Woo-Suk Gone. Woo-Suk Went.
Dumpster Divin Theo
I see what you did there
GoobyTheGoop
You saw him not be very clever?
Yes, all of us saw that as well
Dumpster Divin Theo
That’s what the baseball said. Ball go. Travel far.
stymeedone
Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.
sad tormented neglected mariners fan
Boo woo! You suk! Go!
Niekro floater
Man, his stuff doesn’t translate well. Ain’t fooling nobody w/that 8% strike out rate, talk bout pitching to contact. Gets mad props for his name though. Go Woo-Suk Go !
This one belongs to the Reds
Sounds like Woo Suk, so he Go.
LFGMets (Metsin7) #ConsistentlyBannedBaseballExpert
Woo Suk’s? The Mets. Stearns and a cheap reliever is like white on rice
Braves Butt-Head
I wonder if we have a normal English sounding name that would be funny to the Koreans.
Citizen1
San Diego man beaten by cops after responding for his name request .
wu Suk, Wu Suk
Non Roster Invitee
Everybody’s name gets made fun of. Lighten up.
bag o ballz
DFAd…suks to be him
MacGromit
@ballz
$4.5M says that he likely is worth more than you are.
Datashark
4.5m shouts “Im gonna clear waivers” and remain on Marlins
not enough innings in minors to verify worth
Ham Fighter
You suck go dude
jimmertee
Shaun Anderson is a terrible major league pitcher. He belongs at AAA.
Niekro floater
Woo-Suk Go we hardly knew ya. Does this mean his interpeter got DFA’d as well … how do u say bullsh#t in Korean.
TomL
My goodness with a 60% ground ball rate Jed Hoyer better take a flyer on him. Can’t be any worse than anyone else they’ve trotted out of their bullpen this year even Hendricks as much as as it pains me to say that.
Besides we can also sing Goodman’s Woo-Suk Go after his saves, he can reinvigorate Ronny Woo-Suk-Woo. Let’s Go!
myaccount2
Hover is not gambling having to take on $4.5M when they can put that money toward an actual MLB RP upgrade at the deadline.
MacGromit
Maybe Go can be rehabilitated by Baltimore and turn into the high velo, high leverage bullpen piece that they had hoped Fuji would be. They def need some more lottery tickets that can turn into much needed relief arms for their battered pen.
KingZeke8
Damn, you hate to see Woo-Suk Go…….. I’ll show myself out
formerlyz
I was interested in this dude like 7 years ago when he was in the lower minors with the Red Sox, but since then, he’s had multiple injuries, and been shifted back and forth as a starter and bullpen guy…wonder what he has left; he is still pretty young, and if Mel can get him using his strengths, like his 1 great pitch he for sure has, he might give them some good innings
frankf
Jed Hoyer likes grabbing every random, journeyman reliever that shows up on the waiver wire. May as well grab a guy who could be potentially useful.
HalosHeavenJJ
Go is the type of lottery ticket the Angels should add.
Rsox
Looks like Go’s stint in American Baseball may be a short one
tonyinsingapore
The ball in Korea is a little “pitcher-friendly”. Explains the lost MLB velocity; and it’s also why some GMs thought Jung Ho Lee would outperform his KBO stats…