Detroit Tigers minor league deal. South Korean right-hander Go Woo-suk is set to continue his pursuit of a Major League breakthrough, returning to the Detroit Tigers organization for a second straight year after agreeing to another minor league contract.
The deal gives the 27-year-old reliever another opportunity to establish himself in North America after a challenging but instructive first stint in professional baseball in the United States.
Go’s Seoul-based representation, Leeco Sports, confirmed that the pitcher has finalized a minor league agreement with Detroit. The organization had previously revealed the move through its official transactions page, announcing that he had been signed and immediately assigned to the club’s Triple-A affiliate, the Toledo Mud Hens, on December 16. While the signing did not generate much fanfare, it marked an important step in Go’s continued effort to adapt his game to the MLB environment.
This upcoming season represents another chance for Go to reach the majors after he first made the leap to the United States in January 2024. At that time, he signed a two-year contract with the San Diego Padres, entering the organization with considerable expectations based on his dominant résumé in South Korea.
However Detroit Tigers minor league deal, the transition proved difficult early on. Go struggled to find consistency during spring training, and as a result, he opened the 2024 campaign in the minor leagues rather than earning an immediate spot in the Padres’ bullpen.
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Midway through that season, his path took another turn. In May 2024, San Diego dealt him to the Miami Marlins, a move that gave him a fresh start but did not significantly alter his on-field fortunes. While with the Marlins organization, Go worked primarily at the Triple-A level and never received a call-up to the majors. Over 16 appearances there, he posted a 2–0 record with a 4.29 earned run average, showing flashes of effectiveness but also continued inconsistency.
Go made five additional Triple-A outings for Miami before the organization decided to move on, releasing him in June of last year. Shortly thereafter, Detroit signed him to a minor league deal, bringing him into the Tigers’ system before the midpoint of the season.
He remained with Toledo for the rest of the year, gaining steady work but still facing the ups and downs that have defined his American experience so far. During the 2025 season, he recorded a 1–0 mark with a 4.29 ERA across 14 appearances for the Mud Hens, numbers that mirrored his earlier Triple-A results.
Following the conclusion of the season, Go elected free agency in November, briefly testing the market before ultimately returning to familiar ground. About a month later, he rejoined Detroit on another minor league agreement, signaling mutual interest from both sides.
For the Tigers, the move represents a low-risk opportunity to continue evaluating a pitcher with proven closing experience at a high professional level overseas. For Go, it offers continuity and another chance to refine his mechanics, command, and approach within the same organization.
Before crossing the Pacific, Go was one of the most dominant relievers in the Korea Baseball Organization, starring for the LG Twins. He debuted professionally in 2017 and quickly rose through the bullpen ranks.
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By 2019, he had secured the closer’s role, a position he would hold for several seasons. From 2019 through 2023, Go amassed 139 saves, the highest total in the league during that five-year stretch, cementing his reputation as one of the KBO’s premier late-inning arms.
That sustained success overseas was a major reason MLB clubs took interest in him, viewing his power arm and experience in high-pressure situations as traits that could translate to the majors. However, the adjustment to a different ball, mound, schedule, and style of play has been more difficult than anticipated.
In his minor league career to date, Go owns a 6–4 record with six saves and seven holds across 76 appearances. His overall ERA stands at 5.61, and he has logged 94⅔ innings, striking out 89 batters while issuing 47 walks.
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Those numbers reflect both his raw ability and the areas that still need refinement. When his command is sharp, Go can be effective, missing bats and limiting hard contact. When it falters, control issues have led to elevated pitch counts and run prevention challenges. The Tigers will likely focus on helping him improve consistency, particularly with his fastball location and secondary offerings, as he works to adapt his KBO-honed skill set to the demands of MLB hitters.
As he prepares for another season in Triple-A, Go enters 2026 with renewed determination and a clearer understanding of what it will take to succeed. While his journey to the majors has not been linear, his return to Detroit underscores both his persistence and the organization’s belief that his story in American baseball is not yet finished.
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