Will Go Woo-suk (26, LG Twins), the Korean national closing pitcher representing the KBO league, make his way to the Major League? The deadline for Ko’s posting system (closed competitive bidding) is just two days away.
Ko started the 2023 season as a member of the World Baseball Classic national team in March last year. However, he suffered an unexpected shoulder injury during an exhibition match for the WBC national team, which prevented him from participating in the competition. The aftermath of the injury continued through the season. After pitching in six games in April, he rested all of May.
Nevertheless, Ko showed off his prowess as the strongest closing pitcher in the KBO league. He became the “save king” with 42 saves in the 2022 season. In the 2023 season, he played in 44 games, recording three wins, eight losses and 15 saves with a 3.68 ERA. In October last year, he won the gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games. Ko, who shed tears after enjoying victory in the Korean Series, had a double happy occasion in November.
In fact, Ko has already had a dream of entering the Major League since the beginning of the season. “I have been talking with Cha Myung-seok since we negotiated with the club about the 2023 salary,” Ko told reporters at the LG Twins’ 2023 Love Giving Festival with Championship last month. He said that he would consider posting a posting application, even if he does not mean that he will definitely go if he wins the Korean Series after winning the regular season. That was what was said.” 파워볼실시간
The MLB Secretariat announced the posting of Ko to 30 Major League teams at 8 a.m. on March 5 (U.S. Eastern Time). And almost a month has passed. The deadline for Ko’s contract is 7 a.m. on January 4 (5 p.m. Eastern Time), and he must stamp his contract before he can advance to the Major League. He has only two days left.
Lee Jung-hoo, the “brother-in-law” who was previously posted on the same day as Ko, hit a jackpot worth up to $113 million (about 145.6 billion won) for six years with the San Francisco Giants. Attention was also drawn to whether a major leaguer with his brother-in-law will be born. Of course, Lee was in a very different situation with Ko. He publicly announced that he would play in the Major League ahead of the start of the 2023 season. He also received permission from his original team, the Kiwoom Heroes. The San Francisco Giants’ general manager Pete Putilla visited Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, and observed Lee carefully. There were many articles on Lee in the U.S. media as well.
On the other hand, Ko is relatively quiet compared to Lee Jung-hoo. Still, the St. Louis Cardinals are constantly connected to Ko. There was news that the St. Louis club and Ko’s local agent met. There were also reports that the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies could consider Ko as an alternative to bullpen pitcher. In recent years, prominent Major League reporters have reported that contract news gets delivered faster than the official announcement. However, no specific team name, contract duration, and amount of money has been disclosed yet.
There seems to be no need for Ko to be in a hurry. If he proves his true value in the 2024 season in the KBO League, he will receive even better reviews. Furthermore, he will gain full FA status after the 2024 season. Ko also said, “I don’t think there will be much difference just by applying for posting. Nothing comes close to me. There is no guarantee that everything will work out for sure. Even if he returns (from the U.S.), he will be able to remain with the LG Twins, and that part seems to have played a major role in his decision. “It is a part where you can apply for FA after the 2024 season is over, so I think it is best to do as it goes.” Which team will Ko wear this year.
