Twins manager not looking to run returning reliever into ground

The Seoul-based LG Twins bolstered their struggling bullpen with the return of former All-Star closer Go Woo-suk this week. Go, who previously managed the club from 2017 to 2023, rejoined the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) team after spending over two and a half years playing in the United States. However, manager Youm Kyoung-youb expressed concerns that he would not want to overuse Go in critical situations towards the end of the regular season.

During his first stint with the Twins, Go primarily pitched one inning at a time. However, his time in the U.S. minor leagues saw him covering two innings from the bullpen on several occasions. Youm, who closely followed Go's U.S. career, had expressed his enthusiasm for utilizing Go for multiple innings in high-pressure moments.

Nevertheless, on Wednesday, Youm emphasized that ideally, Go would only need to pitch a single inning per outing. If the Twins had to ask him for more innings, it would likely signal that they are facing a difficult predicament.

Youm explained that if their starting pitcher manages to go at least five innings, Go would not be required to pitch more than one inning. Ideally, the Twins would only deploy Go for a single inning, but he is now capable of throwing two innings if necessary. Such a scenario would occur if their starter struggles early or if the team needs to play a bullpen game.

The Twins' pitching staff has been significantly impacted by injuries. Closer You Young-chan, who succeeded Go in the ninth-inning role, underwent a season-ending elbow operation in April. Both setup men Kim Jin-sung and Jang Hyun-sik are currently out with injuries, with Jang having transitioned from the relief corps to the rotation due to the mounting injuries among starting pitchers.

It is worth noting that Go will be unavailable for the postseason, as players are required to be on the active roster as of July 31 to be eligible.