“고우석, LG 복귀 의사 밝혔다”…오늘 귀국

Former Milwaukee Brewers reliever Oh Seok (28) is set to return to his hometown team, Elgin (LG) Twins, after a three-year absence. According to an Elgin official, Oh has expressed his intention to return to the club, and he will be flying back to South Korea today. The club plans to discuss specific terms with Oh upon his return.

Notably, Elgin's Triple-A affiliate, the Saint Paul Saints, announced Oh's release as a free agent today. Having made his debut in Major League Baseball (MLB) via the posted system in 2023, Oh now needs to sign a contract with Elgin before he can rejoin the team. Elgin's return is expected to be a significant boost for the club, which recently lost its primary closer, U Yong-chan, to Tommy John surgery in April.

Starter Song Yeong-jong has been performing well, but recent injuries to relief pitchers have created challenges for the pitching staff. However, Oh, who can only play for Elgin's remaining regular-season games this season under MLB rules, will still be able to contribute to the team's efforts in the playoff run.

Oh, who previously played as an Elgin closer in 2023, recently declared his intention to join Major League Baseball (MLB) and signed a two-year, $4.5 million contract (around 68 billion won) with the San Diego Padres. However, he has yet to secure a Major League Baseball (MLB) debut opportunity after bouncing around the minor leagues.

Last July, Oh was traded to the Minnesota Twins, where he made his Major League debut but was quickly demoted to the minors after just 11 days. A subsequent violation of MLB's glove foreign substance rule led to his immediate dismissal from the team. Following an appeal, Oh was given a 10-game suspension, but his punishment was later reduced to eight games.

Despite returning to the mound, Oh's performance has been disappointing, posting a 4.00 ERA in 4 MLB innings, 8 hits, 5 runs, and a 9.00 ERA average. In the minors, Oh has compiled a 3-season record of 111 games, 11 wins, 6 losses, 10 holds, and a 5.02 ERA.