Marlins designate Korean pitcher Go Woo-suk for assignment
Korean pitcher Go Woo-suk leaves Gocheok Sky dome after practice, in Guro district, Seoul, March 19. Yonhap
Less than a month after trading for him, the Miami Marlins have designated Korean pitcher Go Woo-suk for assignment, leaving his major league dreams hanging in the balance.
The Marlins announced on Thursday (U.S. time) that they removed Go from their 40-man roster to make room for new pitcher Shaun Anderson, who was acquired from the Texas Rangers for cash.
Once a player is designated for assignment, or DFA'd in major league parlance, he can be traded or placed on irrevocable waivers within seven days. And if the player clears waivers — meaning, if no team picks that player from waivers — then the player may be sent outright to the minors or released.
Anderson, a former Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) pitcher, had been DFA'd by the Rangers before landing with the Marlins.
Go, 25, had been a premier closer in the KBO for the LG Twins over the past handful of years. He signed a two-year deal with the San Diego Padres in January but did not make the Opening Day roster after going 0-2 with a 12.60 ERA in six spring training outings. The Padres opened their season in Seoul against the Los Angeles Dodgers in March.
While Go was still in the minors, the Padres traded him and three prospects to the Marlins for two-time batting champion Luis Arraez on May 4.
Go had been pitching in Double-A for the Padres, but the Marlins moved him up to their Triple-A affiliate, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
In seven relief appearances covering nine innings there, Go had a 1-0 record with a 3.00 ERA. (Yonhap)