Padres set to trade S. Korean reliever Go Woo-suk to Marlins: reports
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- The San Diego Padres are reportedly set to trade their South Korean relief pitcher Go Woo-suk to the Miami Marlins.
Jeff Passan of ESPN reported Saturday morning that the Padres were nearing a deal to acquire All-Star infielder Luis Arraez from the Marlins, in exchange for three prospects and a reliever. The trade was pending a medical review, according to Passan.
Craig Mish of SportsGrid later reported that the Marlins were receiving Go, outfielder Dillon Head, outfielder Jakob Marsee and first baseman Nathan Martorella in exchange for Arraez, a two-time batting champion.
After seven seasons with the LG Twins in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), Go signed a two-year deal with the Padres in January. However, the right-hander failed to make the Opening Day roster when the Padres began their season in Seoul against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and instead started the season in the minors.
In 10 outings for the San Antonio Missions in Double-A, Go went 0-2 with a save and a 4.38 ERA. He had 15 strikeouts and four walks in 12 1/3 innings.
Go had been one of the KBO's top closers, and his 139 saves from 2019 to 2023 were the most in the league during that span.
Go helped the Twins win the Korean Series title in 2023, their first championship since 1994. And because he had pitched into mid-November and only signed his Padres deal in January, Go lagged behind most other pitchers in preparing for spring training and the new season.
In March, the Padres' general manager A.J. Preller and pitching coach Ruben Niebla both preached patience in waiting for Go to find his footing in the United States, but the club has apparently run out of that patience less than two months into the season.
Arraez's arrival will create a logjam in the Padres' infield. Arraez has spent most of his career playing second base but has also handled first-base duties in recent years. The Padres already have an All-Star infielder Xander Bogaerts at second base. They moved him from the shortstop position before this season to make room for South Korean Kim Ha-seong, who won the Gold Glove at the utility spot last season but is now back playing full-time shortstop.
Kim is set to become a free agent after this season and has been mentioned as a possible trade candidate.
jeeho@yna.co.kr
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