Go Woo-suk Protests Innocence Over 'Foreign Substance' on Glove, Says He Used It Since WBC

Minnesota Twins pitcher Go Woo-suk, who received a 10-game suspension for alleged illegal pitching after applying a foreign substance to his glove in Minor League Baseball, has appealed his innocence via social media.

Today (July 27), Go posted a message on his social media starting with, "Never once in my life have I ever thought about competing through unfair means."

"I have never made choices that compromise the value of baseball for better performance," Go stated, explaining the foreign substance found on his glove.

Go explained, "The substance in question on the glove is something that has accumulated since early this year, formed as sweat and rosin repeatedly mixed and hardened on the leather," adding that the glove he used in that game "is the same glove I have used in every single game from the WBC until now, and I have never once raised any issues or received any complaints while playing."

He also added that he is confident there is no possibility this substance affected his pitching.

Previously, on the 25th, Go was subjected to a glove inspection by umpires before taking the mound as a relief pitcher in a home game against the Columbus Clippers.

Major League Baseball (MLB) and the minor leagues strictly prohibit pitchers from applying sticky substances to their gloves for purposes such as increasing the spin rate of the ball. After inspecting Go's glove and both hands as he headed to the mound, the umpire determined there was a foreign substance on the inside of the glove, called over other umpires, and ordered Go's ejection.

Ultimately, Go had his glove confiscated and left the mound without throwing a single pitch.

Subsequently, the MLB office imposed a 10-game suspension on Go.

Although initially reported to have accepted the discipline, Go stated, "To prove my innocence, I plan to proceed with an appeal process through the Players Association," while apologizing to supporting fans for causing concern.

Under current regulations, pitchers are allowed to use rosin for sweat management, but applying it directly to the glove is strictly prohibited. Given that there has been no precedent of a suspension being overturned through a player's appeal regarding this rule, the likelihood of Go's 10-game suspension changing appears low.

(Reported by Kim Taewon | Video by Kim Na-on | Graphics by Lee Jung-joo | Produced by SBS Digital News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.