On bubble, Padres reliever Go Woo-suk fighting to make it to Opening Day roster on home soil
Go Woo-suk of the San Diego Padres throws a ball during a workout at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, March 16, in preparation for Major League Baseball's Seoul Series. Yonhap
Go Woo-suk, first-year relief pitcher for the San Diego Padres, finds himself in a unique situation: he could make his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut on home soil.
But the right-hander still has to clear some hurdles to make that happen next week, as his Padres prepare to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in a two-game Seoul Series. The games on Wednesday and Thursday at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul will be the first MLB regular season contests to be played in Korea.
Go made the 31-man traveling squad for the Seoul Series but the Padres must trim the roster to 26 by 11 a.m. Wednesday.
Go, who had a particularly rough outing last weekend, when he allowed five earned runs on four hits in 1/3 of an inning against the Los Angeles Angels, isn't so confident he can survive the final cuts.
"I am not so sure. If I make it, then I make it. If not, I will have to try harder to crack the team at the next opportunity," Go told Korean reporters after the Padres' workout at the dome Saturday evening. "I'd absolutely love to make the 26-man roster this time. But even if I don't, I will not change my approach and mindset. I will keep trying to improve my stuff, even though I am pitching in a different league against better competition."
Go had been one of the best closers in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) in recent years before signing with the Padres in January. From 2019 to 2023, no KBO closer had more saves than Go's 139.
In a deep Padres bullpen, Go is trying to find his footing. But due largely to that Angels game, Go's ERA for spring training sits at an ugly 12.46 over 4 1/3 innings.
Go now has to prove that he wasn't just a token addition to the traveling roster for Seoul and that he deserves to be there to start the season Wednesday.
Go Woo-suk of the San Diego Padres throws a ball during a workout at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on March 16, in preparation for Major League Baseball's Seoul Series. Yonhap
"I have to figure out how to get more behind my pitches," Go said. "I know we don't have much time here, but I am going to keep working on that and try to make it to Opening Day."
Before the regular season games, the Padres will play two exhibitions -- first against the Korean national team on Sunday and then against Go's former team, LG Twins, on Monday.
Go said he was "quite surprised" to see how accurate the Padres' scouting reports on Twins hitters were, and how thorough his pitching coach, Ruben Niebla, has been in his preparation, even though the game against the Korean club doesn't count.
Go said he had spoken with his former Twins teammate, Oh Ji-hwan, about their possible matchup.
"He told me to throw three straight pitches down the middle and he offered to take three whiffs," Go quipped, adding that it may feel like an intrasquad scrimmage if he does get to face his old team.
Go is one of two Korean players for the Padres, alongside infielder Kim Ha-seong. (Yonhap)