Minor league schedule ends one after the other. Single-A schedule ends, Double-A schedule ends, and Triple-A schedule ends. This year’s Minor League Triple-A schedule ended on Sunday (Korea time). Now, the club will readjust its squad and start preparing for next year.
Miami’s view of Ko Woo-seok can also be felt indirectly here. Ko Woo-seok, who signed a two-year guarantee $4.5 million contract with San Diego this year, failed to enter the opening entry, which he expected, and the ordeal began. Since then, he has been calmly working out on the Double-A stage, but this time, he was confused again by the news of the trade. On May 5, San Diego sent four players to Miami on the condition of acquiring Luis Aras, the National League’s batting king, and Ko Woo-seok was included on the list.
Just as he was about to adapt himself to life in the U.S., he had to cross the continent. He went from the western end to the eastern end. But up until then, he had positive points. Miami is a rebuilding team. It had a relatively broader possibility of using minor league players. The bullpen is not as strong as San Diego. Unlike San Diego, Miami sent Ko to Triple-A. If he had a good performance in Triple-A, he would give him a chance.
However, the Miami Marlins began treating Ko like a cold shoulder. On May 31, less than a month after the trade, Koh was designated as a transfer player and was excluded from the 40-member roster. He excluded Ko to make room for players to be registered on the 40-member roster (Shaun Anderson). On July 12, he was demoted by sending Ko to Pensacola, a double-A team under the team.
“Miami does not believe Ko is a player who will play in the Major League,” a series of local media reported. In fact, the Miami Marlins let Ko stay in the Double-A team until the end of the season. Once the Double-A team was over, the team would have had to experiment for one more week at Triple-A, but it didn’t. Consequently, the team has openly confirmed local media’s report that it has no intention of using Ko this year. It is a big ordeal.
Throughout the year, psychological difficulties continued. He came here after dreaming of becoming a major league player, and signed a guarantee contract even though the amount is not large. However, he couldn’t go anywhere near the Major League and stayed in the Double-A stage for a long time, let alone in the Triple-A. This was something that players had to overcome, but it was clearly different from Double-A promising players who are looking forward to their future. It is true that he could get tired.
Analysts say chances are high that the Miami Marlins will continue to treat Koh as cold as possible unless something special happens. If Koh is registered on the Major League roster at least once, the team will not be able to control him next year. Ko will gain the right to veto the Minor League in 2025, which did not exist this year. Miami’s current move is a measure to neutralize its veto power. Under the current circumstances, the Miami Marlins can have Koh in the Minor League next year as well. If he does well while watching, he can put Koh in the Major League then. 스포츠토토
The contract between Ko Woo-seok and Miami follows the San Diego contract and lasts until next year. Miami must pay Ko Woo-seok’s guaranteed salary next year as well. Nevertheless, if there is no special offseason move, Ko Woo-seok will also be in trouble. He has to start the season in the minor leagues next year, because he could waste two years in the prime of his career. This is why there is a scenario in which Ko Woo-seok and Miami break each other’s contract and Ko Woo-seok returns to the KBO League.
However, it is known that Ko did not clearly mention that he would return to the KBO League. “Although it was a difficult period until the end of the season, I understand that he was determined to overcome the difficulties and play in the Major League,” said a source familiar with the situation. LG also has no special update on Ko’s return. After monitoring the situation, the team will make a decision after considering various circumstances comprehensively. Both Yoon Seok-min and Park Byung-ho, who had similar circumstances, returned to Korea early. If Ko continues to challenge in the Major League next year, it can be said that he is a real challenge in itself.
