Former Padres pitcher involved in Luis Arraez trade gets another shot with Twins

The San Diego Padres' bullpen has come a long way in just a few short years. Now considered one of the best units in baseball thanks to the presence of Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon, and a host of other elite relievers, it's important to remember that their reputation wasn't always so sterling.

Back during the 2023-24 offseason, the Friars were coping with the loss of star closer Josh Hader. They made two international signings -- Yuki Matsui and Woo-Suk Go -- in an effort to cover for that depreciation in talent, with both expected to get some run in the ninth inning after brilliant careers in Japan and Korea, respectively.

That never came to pass, party thanks to the emergence of Robert Suarez as a closer, but also because neither pitcher really made a name for themselves in the states. Matsui has broken through with a career-best campaign here in 2026 and made 60+ appearances in both of the previous two seasons, but Go has yet to even make his MLB debut.

Well, that could finally be about to change. The Minnesota Twins have acquired Go in a low-profile deal with the Detroit Tigers, and they'll be required to include him on their 40-man and active rosters after he exercised an upward mobility clause in his contract.

Woo-Suk Go has persevered after Padres disappointment, will finally make MLB debut with Twins

Go has had quite the journey since signing with the Padres, including a very short tenure with the organization. Roughly one month into his professional career, the right-hander was traded (alongside top-20 prospects Dillon Head, Jakob Marsee, and Nathan Martorella) for three-time batting champion Luis Arraez.

He struggled greatly with the Miami Marlins after that, appearing at each level of their farm system and never finding any type of sustainable success. He was designated for assignment about 13 months after the trade, latching on with the Tigers.

As it happens, it appears that third time is the charm for Go, as Detroit finally unlocked his dormant potential. He wrapped up the 2025 season with a 4.29 ERA in 21 innings in Triple-A Toledo, and his 2026 encore has been even better: a 1.96 ERA, 2.28 FIP, and 34.0% strikeout rate split between the two highest levels of the minors.

It's somewhat surprising that the Tigers are letting him go, but this is a case of the upward mobility clause working as intended. The Twins have a massive need for stable relievers in their bullpen; Go should have every chance to stick around in the majors with them for the foreseeable future.

It remains to be seen how his long-awaited MLB debut will unfold, but credit Go for sticking with baseball this long after the Padres dumped him so quickly. Still just 27 years old, there's time yet for him to live up to the standard he set in the KBO.

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