| Date | News | Comment |
| Jun 27 2025 | Kopech notched a hold against the Rockies on Thursday, striking out one batter in one perfect inning. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech inherited a two-run lead in the eighth frame and retired all three batters he faced on a combined 13 pitches. After missing over two months while on the injured list to begin the campaign, he's pitched in eight games since his June 8 debut and has yet to allow a run over seven innings. Kopech has five holds in those eight contests and is averaging over a strikeout per inning, so he's a desirable asset in fantasy leagues that count holds. |
|
| Jun 8 2025 | Kopech tossed a scoreless ninth inning in Sunday's 7-3 win over the Cardinals, allowing one hit with no walks and one strikeout. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech gave up a single on his first pitch but went on to retire the Cardinals' top three hitters in order. The 29-year-old threw seven of nine pitches for strikes in his first appearance since returning from the injured list Saturday. He'll likely continue to be eased back in before joining the mix for high-leverage innings. |
|
| Jun 7 2025 | The Dodgers activated Kopech (shoulder) from the 60-day injured list Saturday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech missed the first two-plus months of the campaign after developing a shoulder impingement during spring training. The righty reliever began participating in minor-league rehab games in mid-May and posted an 8.53 ERA and 2.21 WHIP over 6.1 innings across nine appearances, though he gave up just one run in four frames over his final five rehab outings. Kopech could regain a high-leverage in the Dodgers' bullpen, though the team may elect to bring him along slowly considering the amount of time he missed. To make room on the 40-man roster for Kopech, Los Angeles designated fellow reliever Chris Stratton for assignment. |
|
| Jun 5 2025 | Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Thursday that there's a "good possibility" Kopech (shoulder) will rejoin the active roster this weekend, Benjamin Royer of the Los Angeles Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech has been sidelined all season, first with right forearm inflammation and more recently a right shoulder impingement. After some initial struggles on his rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City, Kopech has been unscored upon in four of his last five appearances. The hard-throwing righty is likely to be eased into high-leverage situations. |
|
| Jun 1 2025 | Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Sunday that Kopech (shoulder) could be activated from the 60-day injured list during the upcoming week, Sonja Chen of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech is expected to pitch Sunday for Triple-A Oklahoma City in what would be the ninth appearance of his rehab assignment. The right-hander entered Sunday's contest with an 18.56 ERA, 3.53 WHIP and 9:10 K:BB in 5.1 innings for the Triple-A club, but he had delivered scoreless appearances in three of his last four outings. Kopech served as a high-leverage reliever during the Dodgers' run to the World Series last fall, but given his rocky performance during his rehab assignment, the right-hander could be deployed in middle relief in his initial appearances upon returning from the IL. |
|
| May 19 2025 | Kopech (shoulder) will pitch at Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday and is expected to make several more appearances during his rehab assignment before being activated from the 60-day injured list, Matthew Moreno of DodgerBlue.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech got roughed up in his third rehab outing for the Comets on Wednesday, surrendering three runs on two hits and one walk while striking out one over 0.2 innings. The Dodgers don't appear to be in any hurry to bring the right-hander back from the IL, as the club noted Monday that Kopech will appear in at least three more games before being reinstated. |
|
| May 12 2025 | Kopech (shoulder) struck out two batters and gave up one hit and no walks over a scoreless inning of relief in his second rehab appearance Sunday with Triple-A Oklahoma City. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After failing to record an out while issuing five walks and getting charged with five earned runs in his first rehab outing with Oklahoma City on Thursday, Kopech assuaged some of the concern about his health by delivering a strong performance Sunday. He touched 99.7 miles per hour with his fastball twice in his 14-pitch appearance, throwing 10 strikes while retiring three of the four batters he faced. Before kicking off his rehab assignment last week, Kopech hadn't pitched in a game setting since the World Series last fall while recovering from a right shoulder impingement, so he'll likely require at least a few more outings in the minors before the Dodgers bring him back from the 60-day injured list. |
|
| May 8 2025 | Kopech (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech began the season on the injured list due to forearm inflammation, but a right shoulder impingement has extended his absence by a couple of months. It's unclear how long the Dodgers plan on keeping the 29-year-old in the minors, but once active, Kopech should play an important role in a Dodgers bullpen that's been decimated by injuries this year. |
|
| May 2 2025 | Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Friday that Kopech (shoulder) is expected to embark on a rehab assignment next week, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech has been dealing with a right shoulder impingement over the past few weeks after starting the season on the injured list due to right forearm inflammation. He's been ramping up his pitch count in bullpen sessions and is set to start facing batters. Barring any setbacks, Kopech will start his rehab assignment next week, and how his shoulder and forearm respond after each outing will determine a timeline for his return to the majors. |
|
| May 1 2025 | The Dodgers transferred Kopech (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list Thursday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech landed on the injured list at the start of the season due to forearm inflammation, and his recovery has been extended by a right shoulder impingement. He has built up to throwing 30 pitches during bullpen sessions but is still likely to miss another several weeks, as he has yet to begin a rehab assignment. He'll be joined on the 60-day IL by Blake Treinen (forearm) to 40-man spots for new additions J.P. Feyereisen and Ryan Loutos. |
|
| Apr 16 2025 | Kopech (shoulder) threw a bullpen session Tuesday, per MLB.com. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The bullpen was Kopech's second since he had his throwing program stalled in late March. The veteran reliever has recently stated that he "feels good" as he ramps up toward a return from the right shoulder injury that has kept him from seeing any game action so far this season. Kopech will presumably need a minor-league rehab assignment before he's ready to be activated off the IL, and when he eventually rejoins the Dodgers' big-league bullpen, he could be eased back into action considering the amount of time he has missed. |
|
| Mar 27 2025 | Kopech (shoulder) said Thursday that he feels food and is ramping back up his throwing program, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The forearm issue Kopech came into camp with felt good early on in spring training, but he developed a shoulder problem because he ramped up his throwing too quickly, which sent him to the injured list. He also was delayed at one point due to a stomach bug. Kopech appears to be getting back on track now, but there's no timetable for his return. |
|
| Mar 26 2025 | Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Sunday that Kopech (shoulder) is "sort of in a holding pattern" with his throwing, per MLB.com. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech is dealing with a right shoulder impingement and will open the campaign on the injured list. He had been throwing bullpen sessions as of early March, but given Roberts' comments, it's unclear what the righty reliever's throwing program looks like at the moment. Kopech notched six regular-season saves for Los Angeles after being acquired from the White Sox in late July last year, but he's been slated for a setup role when healthy this season with newcomer Tanner Scott expected to work as the Dodgers' primary closer. |
|
| Mar 17 2025 | Kopech (forearm) was moved to the 15-day injured list Monday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech has been dealing with right forearm inflammation since the offseason and it'll force him to begin the 2025 season on the injured list. He's progressed to throwing bullpen sessions, but the team has yet to provide an update on when he'll advance to facing live hitters. |
|
| Mar 4 2025 | Kopech (forearm) is throwing a bullpen session Tuesday, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The right-hander has had a delayed start to spring training due to forearm inflammation but is ramping up his throwing program. Kopech is in danger of being unavailable for the season-opening series against the Cubs in Tokyo on March 18 and 19, with the Dodgers' domestic opener March 27 being a more realistic return target. |
|
| Feb 22 2025 | Kopech (forearm) threw off a mound Saturday to a standing catcher, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: While it wasn't a full-fledged bullpen session, Saturday marked the first time Kopech had done any sort of mound work since the start of spring training. The 28-year-old righty has been behind schedule since the start of camp due to inflammation in his right forearm, and there's no guarantee he'll be ready to go when the Dodgers begin their domestic schedule March 27. |
|
| Feb 12 2025 | Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday that Kopech (forearm) is behind schedule in his throwing program and admitted that the right-hander could begin the season on the injured list, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech experienced right forearm inflammation over the winter, and though Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes previously said in January that the 28-year-old wasn't on track to miss time to begin the season, the organization's stance on the matter has seemingly changed as spring training has gotten underway. On a positive note, Kopech hasn't been shut down from throwing, but it's unclear when he might be cleared to face hitters and eventually make his Cactus League debut. After being acquired from the White Sox in July, Kopech pitched to a 1.13 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 29:10 K:BB while going 6-for-6 in save chances over 24 innings for the Dodgers to close out the regular season, then struck out 10 batters while allowing three runs over nine postseason innings. Despite his dominant showing during his time with the Dodgers last season, Kopech's uncertain health in addition to the team's deep stable of capable high-leverage relievers renders him primarily an NL-only or deep mixed-league consideration in 2025 fantasy drafts. |
|
| Jan 28 2025 | Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said Tuesday on the Baseball Isn't Boring Podcast that Kopech (forearm) is going through his normal offseason throwing program and "feeling pretty good." | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported earlier this month that Kopech could miss the first month of the season due to right forearm inflammation that he pitched through during the postseason. However, Gomes indicated that the reliever is in the same boat as the team's other pitchers in that he'll be monitored this spring; however, at this juncture, a late start to the season is not anticipated. Assuming he's healthy, Kopech will be used in high-leverage situations by the Dodgers. |
|
| Jan 23 2025 | Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes downplayed Kopech's right forearm injury Wednesday and said, "I don't think there's anything of concern at this point," Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: A report from Bob Nightengale of USA Today on Monday indicated that Kopech could miss the first month of the season due to right forearm inflammation he began experiencing during the playoffs. While Gomes conceded that Kopech was "grinding" through the postseason, the GM doesn't seem to believe it will be a long-term issue. Whether Kopech will indeed get a late start to the 2025 season is not clear. When healthy, Kopech will be part of the late-inning mix in the Dodgers' bullpen. |
|
| Jan 21 2025 | Kopech could miss the first month of the season due to right forearm inflammation, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech battled a forearm issue during the playoffs, although it never got to the point where he was unavailable to pitch. There's no indication the injury has gotten worse since then, with Nightengale noting that Kopech does not have any structural damage. However, the Dodgers are opting to take things slowly with the hard-throwing reliever. Once healthy, Kopech figures to be in the mix for saves, along with Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates, Blake Treinen and perhaps others. |
|
| Jan 9 2025 | The Dodgers and Kopech avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $5.2 million contract Thursday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech had been eligible for salary arbitration for the third and final time. The hard-throwing right-hander was dominant down the stretch for the Dodgers after being acquired via trade, posting a 1.13 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 29:10 K:BB over 24 regular-season innings. Kopech should be in the mix for saves in 2025 but will have competition. |
|
| Oct 20 2024 | Kopech will serve as the Dodgers' opening pitcher for Game 6 of the NLCS against the Mets on Sunday, Noah Camras of DodgersNation.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Ryan Brasier served as the opener the last time the Dodgers went with a bullpen day in Game 2, but after suffering a 7-3 loss in that contest, Los Angeles will go a different route Sunday. Kopech's lone appearance in the NLCS came in Game 3 on Wednesday, when he scooped up a win while striking out one batter over one scoreless inning. He's appeared in five postseason games this season, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out six batters across 4.1 scoreless innings. |
|
| Sep 26 2024 | Kopech picked up the save over the Padres on Wednesday, allowing one walk over a scoreless ninth inning while striking out one. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech relieved Blake Treinen to open the ninth and retired the first two batters on five pitches before surrendering a walk to Jake Cronenworth. The right-hander was then able to strike out Donovan Solano for the final out to lock down his 15th save of the campaign and his third in the month of September. Kopech has now allowed at least one baserunner in five-consecutive appearances and at least one free pass in four of his last five. However, he's also converted each of his last seven save opportunities, with his last blown save coming back on July 7 against the Marlins. |
|
| Sep 20 2024 | Kopech allowed one run on one hit and struck out one over one inning to earn the save in Friday's 6-4 win over the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech allowed a solo home run to Michael Toglia in the ninth inning, the first long ball he's given up since July 7. The Rockies didn't build off of it, allowing Kopech to secure his fifth save as a Dodger, all of which he's earned since Aug. 16. The right-hander is now at a 3.62 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 84:33 K:BB over 64.2 innings with 14 saves between the Dodgers and the White Sox, but he's been dominant with a 1.29 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 25:9 K:BB across 21 innings since he was dealt to Los Angeles. |
|
| Sep 16 2024 | Kopech (6-8) got the win over Atlanta on Sunday, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out two in a scoreless inning. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech pitched the bottom of the eighth with the game tied 2-2 and kept things tied despite allowing two baserunners. The Dodgers would then go on to score seven runs in the top of the ninth to put Kopech in line for the win. The 28-year-old righty has pitched scoreless outings in seven of his last eight appearances but has also allowed at least one baserunner in five of those. For the year, Kopech sports a 3.59 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 83:32 K:BB in 62.2 innings. |
|
| Sep 12 2024 | Kopech picked up the save over the Cubs on Wednesday, allowing one run on three walks over one inning while striking out one. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech entered the contest with a three-run lead in the ninth and proceeded to walk three consecutive batters before then allowing a sacrifice fly to Isaac Paredes. Fortunately for the right-hander, Seiya Suzuki would get thrown out trying to steal third before Kopech was then able to retire the final batter by way of strikeout. It marked the first time that Kopech has walked multiple batters in an appearance since July 7 against the Marlins after not allowing a free pass through his first three appearances in September. He's now converted each of his last four save opportunities, while Wednesday marked his 13th save overall on the campaign. |
|
| Aug 29 2024 | Kopech picked up the save over the Orioles on Wednesday, striking out two over a perfect ninth inning. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech entered the contest with a 6-4 lead in the top of the ninth and retired the first two batters on strikes before getting Adley Rutschman to pop out to second for the final out of the game. The save was the right-hander's 12th of the season and the third in his last six appearances. Kopech has only allowed one run in 12.1 innings (12 appearances) this month, posting a 0.76 ERA in August to go along with a 16:3 K:BB. He's also recorded two strikeouts in back-to-back appearances and in three of his last four overall. |
|
| Aug 19 2024 | Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Sunday that Kopech is "gassed" and will be held out from pitching for a few days, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: During Kopech's successful save against St. Louis on Sunday, he averaged 96.7 on his 10 fastballs, two ticks below his season average of 98.7 mph. Roberts acknowledged after the contest that he has deployed the righty reliever more often than the White Sox did prior to the deal between the teams at the trade deadline and suggested that Kopech isn't physically injured but will be held out a few games for rest purposes. Kopech pitched three times in four days from Thursday to Sunday, though he was relatively efficient with a total of 40 pitches during that span. If he is indeed uninjured, Kopech will likely be back to working in high leverage for the Dodgers before the end of the week and should continue to see frequent chances in a closing role. He's notched a save in each of his past two appearances and has posted 9.1 scoreless innings with a 13:1 K:BB and just one hit allowed over nine appearances since joining Los Angeles. |
|
| Aug 18 2024 | Kopech threw a scoreless inning to earn a save against the Cardinals on Sunday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech threw seven of 12 pitches for strikes and finished the game on a double play ball after a runner reached base on an error. He's now turned in 9.1 consecutive scoreless innings to begin his Dodgers career and earned two saves during the weekend series against St. Louis. With Daniel Hudson (8.64 ERA over his last nine appearances) and Evan Phillips (no saves since July 23) seemingly falling out of favor, the Dodgers may use Kopech in the ninth inning more often. Kopech owns a 3.91 ERA with a 72:25 K:BB through 53 innings this season. |
|
| Aug 16 2024 | Kopech struck out two in a perfect inning to earn the save in Friday's 7-6 win over the Cardinals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech continues to excel with the Dodgers -- he's yet to give up a run over 8.1 innings with the team while posting a 13:1 K:BB in that span. Evan Phillips and Joe Kelly served as the bridge over the seventh and eighth innings before Kopech got the save opportunity, while Daniel Hudson didn't pitch after his blow-up versus the Brewers on Thursday. For the season, Kopech has 10 saves and five holds while pitching to a 3.98 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 72:25 K:BB through 52 innings between the Dodgers and the White Sox. The Dodgers' bullpen depth means it's unlikely Kopech is ever the clear-cut closer, but he should continue to get plenty of high-leverage chances. |
|
| Aug 13 2024 | Kopech earned a hold against the Brewers on Monday, walking one batter and striking out two in a scoreless inning. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech handled the eighth frame and worked around a two-out walk to keep Milwaukee off the scoreboard. He earned his fourth hold in six appearances since joining the Dodgers on July 29. Kopech has yet to allow a run over 6.1 innings with his new team, and he's surrendered just one hit while posting a 10:1 K:BB. The righty reliever has quickly become Los Angeles' top setup man, but it's unclear if he'll get any save opportunities after working as the White Sox's closer for most of the season prior to being dealt. |
|
| Jul 29 2024 | The Dodgers acquired Kopech, right-hander Oliver Gonzalez and utility player Tommy Edman (wrist) on Monday in the three-team trade involving the White Sox and Cardinals, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports. The White Sox received infielder/outfielder Miguel Vargas, infielders Alexander Albertus (undisclosed) and Jeral Perez and a player to be named later or cash considerations, while the Cardinals acquired Erick Fedde and Tommy Pham and a player to be named later or cash considerations. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech has offered a mixed bag in a full-time move to relief in 2024, striking out 59 across 43.2 innings but also walking 24 and posting a 4.74 ERA. The Dodgers will hope to fix his control and home-run issues, and if they can, he has the potential to be a dominant late-inning weapon. Kopech is also under team control for 2025. John Brebbia should be the favorite for saves in the White Sox's bullpen for now, though he could also be traded ahead of Tuesday's deadline. |
|
| Jul 10 2024 | Kopech earned the save in the opening game of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Twins, striking out the side in a perfect ninth inning. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech struck out Brooks Lee, Matt Walner and Max Kepler on nine pitches, recording an immaculate inning while securing his ninth save this season. The 28-year-old Kopech has turned in consecutive scoreless appearances after giving up six runs in his previous 2.2 innings. While he can be dominant, as illustrated Wednesday, Kopech's struggled to find consistency in the ninth inning for the White Sox this year. Overall, his ERA sits at 5.18 with a 1.43 WHIP and 55:23 K:BB across 40 innings. |
|
| Jul 7 2024 | Kopech (2-8) allowed four runs on two hits and two walks against Miami on Sunday. He was charged with a blown save and a loss. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech entered the ninth inning with a 4-3 lead but quickly gave it up on a Josh Bell RBI double. Two batters later, Jake Burger would crush a walk-off three-run homer. Kopech hadn't blown a save chance since June 13 but is now just 8 for 13 in opportunities this season. His ERA jumped to 5.45 with a 51:23 K:BB through 38 innings. John Brebbia could begin to push for more ninth-inning work; he threw a scoreless eighth inning Sunday and has given up just two runs over 16.1 frames since the start of June. |
|
| Jul 6 2024 | Kopech gave up a run on two hits and a walk over 1.1 innings Friday to record his eighth save of the season in a 3-2 win over the Marlins. He struck out one. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With two on and two outs in the ninth inning, Kopech gave up an RBI single to Bryan De La Cruz, but he then got Josh Bell to ground out to escape the jam. Kopech isn't exactly locked in right now, stumbling to a 6.91 ERA, 1.67 WHIP and 19:7 K:BB over his last 14.1 innings while blowing three of six save chances, but the White Sox seem content to deploy him at the team's closer for now, perhaps in an effort to increase his trade value. |
|
| Jul 3 2024 | Kopech (2-7) allowed one hit and one earned run across 0.2 innings and took the loss Tuesday against the Guardians. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech entered the game in the ninth inning with the score tied at 6-6. He allowed a leadoff single and threw a wild pitch to put the runner on third base before allowing a sacrifice fly to bring in the game-winning run for Cleveland. Kopech has each of the White Sox's last two saves and should remain the team's primary closer despite a 4.50 ERA and 1.39 WHIP in 36 innings this season. |
|
| Jun 30 2024 | Kopech struck out two in a perfect ninth inning Sunday against the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech made his third appearance in four days after recording back-to-back saves June 27 and June 28. The right-hander delivered Sunday, retiring the side in order while striking out two batters on just eight pitches. The 28-year-old now owns a 2.25 ERA with two saves over his past eight innings, solidifying himself as the White Sox's closer. |
|
| Jun 28 2024 | Kopech earned the save in Friday's 5-3 win over the Rockies, pitching a scoreless inning and working around a walk. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 28-year-old entered the ninth with a two-run lead and looked to immediately be in danger as he opened with six-pitch walk to Ryan McMahon. However, Kopech induced two consecutive groudouts, including one of the double-play variety, to escape with just his second save in June. The Chicago right-hander lowered his season ERA to 4.46 over 34.1 innings as he appears to have seized control of the closer's role over John Brebbia for the time being. |
|
| Jun 22 2024 | Kopech allowed one hit and walked one while striking out two across a scoreless ninth inning Saturday against the Tigers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech entered the game with a four-run lead and allowed consecutive batters to reach base with two outs. He managed to escape to turn in his second consecutive scoreless appearance, though he's still allowed eight earned runs across his last 8.1 frames. Those struggles have called Kopech's role as closer into question, though he did enter Saturday's game after John Brebbia. |
|
| Jun 14 2024 | Kopech (2-6) blew a save but earned the win over the Mariners on Thursday, allowing one run on one hit while striking out two batters over one inning. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech was summoned in the ninth inning to try to protect a one-run Chicago lead but served up a one-out, game-tying solo shot to Julio Rodriguez. To his credit, Kopech bounced back to retire the next two batters and send the game to extra frames, and he was credited with a win as a result of the White Sox pushing across a run in the 10th. Kopech hasn't been very effective in a closing role for Chicago -- he hasn't notched a save since May 15 and is just 5-for-9 in save opportunities this season. He has a 4.91 ERA and 1.50 WHIP over 29.1 innings, though his 13.2 K/9 is characteristic of what most teams look for from a closer. |
|
| Jun 13 2024 | Kopech struck out two and walked one without allowing a hit in a scoreless ninth inning Wednesday against the Mariners. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech imploded to allow three earned runs and blow a lead in an appearance Monday, but he managed to bounce back in this outing. He entered the game with the score tied at 1-1 and turned in just his third scoreless effort in his last five appearances. Kopech remains the White Sox's primary closer, though his last save came on May 15. |
|
| Jun 8 2024 | Kopech allowed one hit and one walk while striking out two across a scoreless ninth inning Saturday against the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech was called upon to protect a five-run lead. He did so successfully, though he allowed three hitters to reach base -- he hit a batter in addition to the walk and hit he surrendered -- and required 33 pitches to retire the side. Though it was shaky, the outing was still positive for Kopech as he had allowed at least one run in three of his last four appearances entering Saturday. |
|
| Jun 5 2024 | Kopech (1-6) allowed a solo home run to the only batter he faced, taking the loss Wednesday versus the Cubs. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech was taken deep by Mike Tauchman as the Cubs won in walk-off fashion. It's been tough sledding for Kopech lately -- he's allowed five runs (four earned) over his last 2.2 innings, taking the loss in three of his last four appearances. The right-hander is now at a 4.21 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 35:15 K:BB through 25.2 innings while adding five saves, a hold and two blown saves. If he continues to struggle, Kopech could eventually lose his high-leverage role, though the White Sox's poor play overall has made it difficult for any of the team's relievers to put up saves. |
|
| Jun 1 2024 | Kopech (1-5) allowed one run (none earned) on one hit and one walk while striking out two to take the loss Saturday against the Brewers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech entered the game in the 10th inning with the game tied at three. He intentionally walked the first batter he faced to put a pair of runners on base before throwing a wild pitch and allowing an infield single to take the loss. Kopech has had an inconsistent season, though he did turn in scoreless efforts in eight of his nine appearances in May. The White Sox haven't converted a save since May 15, but he should be considered the team's primary closer for the time being. |
|
| May 26 2024 | Kopech (1-4) blew the save and took the loss Saturday, giving up three runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning as the White Sox fell 5-3 to the Orioles. He struck out one. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Chicago rolled into the eighth inning with a 3-0 lead, but after Jordan Leasure served up a two-run homer to Ryan O'Hearn, Kopech got the call and threw more gas on the fire, getting taken deep himself by Anthony Santander and Jordan Westburg. Kopech has been tagged for five home runs in 23.2 innings this season, fueling a 4.18 ERA, and his issues keeping the ball in the park have followed him to the bullpen. He'll continue to get the majority of the save chances for the White Sox, but his reliability as a high-leverage reliever is still in question. |
|
| May 22 2024 | Kopech struck out the side without allowing a baserunner Tuesday against the Blue Jays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech entered the game in the ninth inning and was tasked with protecting a five-run lead. He needed only 15 pitches to end the game, and he racked up seven called strikes without generating a whiff. After a shaky start to the season, Kopech now has six consecutive scoreless appearances, maintaining an 8:5 K:BB across 6.1 frames in that span. |
|
| May 15 2024 | Kopech walked two and struck out two in a scoreless ninth inning Wednesday to record his fifth save of the season in a 2-0 win over the Nationals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After working a scoreless frame in the nightcap of Tuesday's doubleheader in a non-save situation, Kopech was called upon again and labored through 33 pitches (20 strikes) before finally getting the job done. The last time the right-hander pitched on back-to-back days, he got the next four days off, so Kopech could be unavailable at least until the weekend. Through 19 appearances this season, he sports a 3.32 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 29:14 K:BB through 21.2 innings. |
|
| May 9 2024 | Kopech earned a save against the Guardians on Thursday, allowing one hit and striking out one batter over 1.1 innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech's save against Tampa Bay on Wednesday was relatively stress-free, as he entered with a three-run lead. That wasn't the case Thursday -- Kopech was asked to put out a fire in the bottom of the eighth frame after Cleveland slugged back-to-back homers to get to within a run. The right-hander retired David Fry in that inning to quell Cleveland's momentum, then worked around a one-out single in the ninth to finish off the save. The White Sox are among the worst teams in the majors this season, so Kopech may not have as many save opportunities as closers on contenders, but he's emerged the Chicago's clear go-to ninth-inning option with a save in consecutive contests. |
|
| May 5 2024 | Kopech (1-3) threw a scoreless ninth inning while allowing one walk and striking out one to earn the win Saturday against the Cardinals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech entered the game in the ninth inning with the score tied 5-5. He struggled with his control -- he hit a batter in addition to the free pass he issued -- but ultimately escaped for this third scoreless effort in his last four appearances. Despite a shaky start to the season, Kopech remains the White Sox's primary option in the highest leverage situations, often including save chances. |
|
| Apr 24 2024 | Kopech allowed two earned runs on two hits and no walks while striking out two to earn a hold Tuesday against the Twins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech was used in the eighth inning, and he primarily matched up against the top of the Twins' lineup. He allowed a leadoff single and later in the inning served up a two-run home run to Trevor Larnach. Kopech still maintained a one-run lead for the White Sox to earn his first hold of the season. The sample of the team maintaining a lead late in games is small, but it appears that manager Pedro Grifol is comfortable using Kopech in the highest-leverage situations rather than using him solely in save situations. |
|
| Apr 21 2024 | Kopech threw a scoreless inning during which he didn't allow a baserunner and struck out two Sunday against the Phillies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech made his first appearance since blowing a save chance Wednesday. While it wasn't in a save situation, Kopech was nevertheless impressive, retiring the side on 13 pitches while generating three swinging strikes. He's now turned in six scoreless performances in nine appearances this season, also maintaining a 17:6 K:BB across 11.1 innings. |
|
| Apr 17 2024 | Kopech (0-2) blew a save and ultimately took the loss in Wednesday's opening game against Kansas City, allowing two runs on two hits while striking out one. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Called upon to protect a one-run lead in the eighth inning, Kopech gave up a one-out single to Bobby Witt before Salvador Perez launched a two-run homer, sticking Kopech with his first blown save and the loss. The right-hander has already earned a pair of multi-inning saves this season, so it's likely this was Chicago's intention again Wednesday. Overall, Kopech is 2-for-3 in save chances this year with a 3.48 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 15:6 K:BB through his first 10.1 innings. |
|
| Apr 9 2024 | Kopech earned the save in Tuesday's 7-5 win over the Guardians, striking out four over two perfect innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech looked excellent Tuesday, striking out the side in the eighth inning before setting the Guardians down in order in the ninth to nail down his second save this year. The right-hander had allowed a run in each of his prior two appearances, issuing four walks over 2.2 innings in that span. Tuesday's performance was certainly a step in the right direction for Kopech, who appears to be the White Sox's primary closer early in the year. Overall, he's 0-1 with a 2.45 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 12:5 K:BB through his first 7.1 innings this season. |
|
| Apr 6 2024 | Kopech (0-1) allowed one earned run on one hit and two walks while striking out three to take the loss Friday against the Royals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech entered the game in the eighth inning of a tied contest and walked the second batter he faced, which ultimately became the game-deciding run. He's now walked five batters across his first 5.1 innings of work, resulting in a 1.69 WHIP. Kopech's usage was also particualrly notable, as he was deployed in the perceived highest-leverage situation rather than being reserved for a save chance. He's still likely to regularly serve as the closer for the White Sox, though the door could be open for another reliever to pick up a handful of saves. |
|
| Apr 2 2024 | Kopech allowed one earned run on two hits and two walks while striking out one across 1.2 innings to earn the save Tuesday against Atlanta. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech relieved John Brebbia in the eighth inning with a 3-0 lead while inheriting runners on first and second base. He walked the first batter he faced before inducing a double play to get out of the jam. Kopech then returned to the mound in the ninth frame and served up a home run to Marcell Ozuna before allowing two additional runners to reach base. This usage suggests Kopech will get the initial chance in the closer role for the White Sox, though his first career save hardly came convincingly. |
|
| Mar 28 2024 | Kopech allowed one hit and one walk while also hitting a batter and striking out one across a scoreless inning in Thursday's loss to the Tigers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech entered the game in the eighth inning with the White Sox down by a run. He loaded the bases with two outs, but he managed to get Matt Vierling to strike out swinging to end the threat. While it was a high-leverage situation, Kopech's usage in the loss suggests that he may not be the top candidate for saves in a murky Chicago bullpen. |
|
| Mar 14 2024 | White Sox general manager Chris Getz said Thursday that Kopech will begin the season in the bullpen, Scot Gregor of the Chicago Daily Herald reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech finished last season in the bullpen, but the White Sox seemingly had been committed to him as a starter again heading into 2024. However, they've reversed course even after trading starter Dylan Cease. Kopech was excellent in relief back in 2021 and immediately becomes a candidate to close for the club, perhaps even the favorite for the job. It's a boost to Kopech's fantasy outlook, but even if he does close he'll be doing so for one of the worst teams in the league. |
|
| Feb 14 2024 | Kopech (knee) threw a bullpen session Wednesday and doesn't appear to have any limitations on the White Sox's first day of spring training, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech finished the 2023 season on the injured list while recovering from a minor surgery he underwent in September to remove a cyst from his right knee, but after an estimated 6-to-8-week recovery period, the right-hander had a more normal offseason than he's experienced in recent years, as general manager Chris Getz relayed to Vinnie Duber of AllCHGO.com earlier this week. Despite struggling to a 5.43 ERA and 1.59 WHIP while striking out 134 batters over a career-high 129.1 innings in 2023, Kopech looks secure in the White Sox rotation heading into Opening Day due mostly to the team's lack of attractive alternatives. |
|
| Jan 11 2024 | Kopech (knee) agreed to a one-year, $3 million deal with the White Sox on Thursday, avoiding arbitration, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He ended the year on the shelf with knee inflammation but will presumably be ready for spring training. Kopech, 27, logged a career-high 129.1 innings last year, but he also had a career-worst 5.43 ERA and 1.59 WHIP. |
|
| Sep 22 2023 | Kopech was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday with right knee inflammation. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech had surgery Friday to remove a cyst from the knee and is expected to require 6-to-8 weeks to recover. It ends a disappointing 2023 campaign which saw Kopech post a 5.43 ERA while leading the American League with 91 walks. He finished the season in the White Sox' bullpen, although the team's plans for his future role aren't clear. |
|
| Sep 19 2023 | Kopech will serve as an opener for Wednesday's game against the Nationals, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Wednesday will mark the first time Kopech has started a game since moving to the bullpen Sept. 8. Since then, he's surrendered six runs across just 2.2 innings while striking out four batters and walking two. The 27-year-old righty is certainly capable of pitching deep into the game, but the plan will likely be to pull Kopech after an inning or two -- especially if he gets into trouble early. |
|
| Sep 8 2023 | Kopech won't start as scheduled Saturday and will instead move into a multi-inning relief role, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After putting up a 9.50 ERA and 2.33 WHIP through 18 frames across his last five starts, Kopech will officially lose his spot in the rotation. The team reportedly still views him as a starter for next season, but a few good appearances out of the bullpen to close out 2023 would help Kopech build his case. Jose Urena will be selected from Triple-A Charlotte to start in Kopech's place Saturday against the Tigers. |
|
| Sep 4 2023 | Kopech did not factor into the decision Sunday, allowing two runs on one hit and five walks over 1.2 innings against the Tigers. He struck out two. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Despite only lasting 1.2 innings, Kopech threw 44 total pitches of which 16 ended up a strike as he walked five batters. Though he struggled with command, Kopech only allowed one hit on the day, which was a two-RBI double by Carson Kelly. Kopech is slated for a rematch with the Tigers for his next start this weekend. |
|
| Aug 28 2023 | Kopech (5-12) took the loss Monday, allowing four runs on seven hits and four walks over four innings against the Orioles. He struck out five. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It was another tough outing for Kopech, who's now gone four straight starts without making it through five innings. He's allowed 17 runs in that span (16.1 innings) while issuing 17 walks. Command continues to be an issue for Kopech, who's struggled to a career-worst 15-percent walk rate this season. Overall, his ERA is up to 5.08 with a 1.53 WHIP and 127:84 K:BB across 25 starts (124 innings) this season. Kopech will look to get back on track in his next outing, tentatively scheduled for this weekend against Detroit. |
|
| Aug 23 2023 | Kopech is considered day-to-day after exiting prior to the fifth inning of Wednesday's game versus the Mariners due to leg cramps. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech apparently began experiencing cramps as he tried to warm up before the top of the fifth. He scattered four walks and one hit over four scoreless innings while striking out five prior to his departure. The 27-year-old right-hander is currently lined up to take the mound again in Monday's series opener at Baltimore, though he could require a day or two of extra rest. Either way, he doesn't seem to be dealing with an overly serious concern. |
|
| Aug 18 2023 | Kopech (5-11) yielded nine runs on six hits and four walks over four innings Friday, striking out one and taking a loss against the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech served up three homers in Friday's brutal outing. He also continues to struggle with his command; over his last 10 starts, Kopech has registered an unsightly 32:43 K:BB over 42.1 frames. His season ERA climbed to 5.12 through 23 starts. The 27-year-olf righty is currently projected to start at home against Seattle next week. |
|
| Aug 11 2023 | Kopech did not factor into the decision Friday, allowing four runs on five hits and five walks over 4.1 innings against the Brewers. He struck out four. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech was consistently behind in the count, throwing first-pitch strikes to just eight of the 23 batters he faced. He still maintained a lead into the fifth but was pulled at 96 pitches after allowing three consecutive singles to close out his night. Kopech has been the pillar of inconsistency this year in his 21 starts, splitting evenly seven with four or more earned runs allowed, seven with no more than one earned run allowed and seven directly in-between. His next start is currently projected to take place next Friday in Colorado. |
|
| Aug 5 2023 | Kopech (5-10) earned the win over Cleveland on Saturday, allowing two runs on three hits and four walks while striking out three batters over 5.1 innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech held the Guardians scoreless through five frames and was handed a 5-0 lead, but he allowed three straight one-out hits amidst the chaos of a sixth-inning brawl between the teams and was unable to complete the frame. However, the right-hander nonetheless pitched well enough to emerge with his just his second win over his past 11 starts. Kopech didn't miss a ton of bats and again struggled to find the strike zone, and he's now walked at least three batters in all but one of his last eight outings. On a more positive note, he didn't allow any balls to leave the park Saturday, the first time he's held a team homerless over his past seven starts. |
|
| Jul 31 2023 | Kopech (4-10) was handed the loss Sunday against the Guardians after allowing three runs on four hits and five walks while striking out two in five innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech had a troublesome second inning after he issued four walks to put the Guardians in front 1-0. He settled down in the second and third before allowing solo home runs to Steven Kwan and Jose Ramirez in the fifth. It has been a rough handful of starts for Kopech since returning from the IL on July 14. In four starts since coming back, the 27-year-old owns a 6.30 ERA, 1.90 WHIP and 12:14 K:BB in 16.1 innings. Kopech is expected to take the bump against the Guardians once again next weekend and will look to come out with a better result. |
|
| Jul 25 2023 | Kopech (4-9) took the loss Tuesday, allowing five runs on nine hits and one walk over five innings against the Cubs. He struck out five. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech tied his season high in runs given up Tuesday, serving up a pair of homers to Dansby Swanson and a solo shot to Christopher Morel in just four innings of action. The outing marked his fifth straight start allowing a long ball, while his nine hits allowed also set a season high. However, if fantasy managers are looking for something positive to take away from Kopech's start, it'd be that he only handed out one walk after allowing a total of 24 walks over his last 18.2 innings. Through 97.1 innings this season, Kopech owns a 4.44 ERA, a 2.0 HR/9 and a 107:58 K:BB. |
|
| Jul 20 2023 | Kopech (4-8) earned the win Thursday, allowing one run on two hits and four walks over 5.2 innings against the Mets. He struck out five. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech struggled with command again Thursday, issuing four or more walks for the fourth time in his last five starts. However, the 27-year-old Kopech was able to limit the damage, holding the Mets to just two hits en route to his first win since May 24. Kopech lowered his ERA to 4.29 with a 1.39 WHIP and 102:57 K:BB through 18 starts (92.1 innings) this season. He's currently lined up for a home matchup with the Cubs in his next outing. |
|
| Jul 14 2023 | Kopech (3-8) allowed four runs on a hit and four walks while taking a loss against Atlanta on Friday. He recorded two outs. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech was activated from the injured list to make his first start since June 27 and immediately ran into trouble. He loaded the bases with no outs before serving up a grand slam to Matt Olson. Kopech has compiled a brutal 12:20 K:BB through 13 innings over his last four starts. He saw his season ERA climb to 4.47 with a league-leading 53 walks. Assuming his shoulder wasn't an issue Friday, Kopech is currently lined up for a road matchup with the Mets next week. |
|
| Jul 12 2023 | Kopech (shoulder) will return from the 15-day injured list to start the White Sox's first game of the second half Friday in Atlanta, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech was placed on the IL in early July with what was categorized as right shoulder inflammation, though the move may have been made mostly in order to give him extra rest. The right-hander is on pace for a career high in innings this season and had been struggling in his recent outings before landing on the IL. Kopech isn't an advisable start in fantasy against Atlanta. |
|
| Jul 4 2023 | Kopech (shoulder) is expected to return to the White Sox's rotation after the All-Star break, Vinnie Duber of AllCHGO.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech was slated to miss his start Sunday to receive an extended rest, but the White Sox still felt the need to place him on the injured list. It doesn't seem Kopech is in line for an extended absence, and he'll return to the rotation with a fresh arm to begin the second half of the season. |
|
| Jul 2 2023 | The White Sox placed Kopech on the 15-day injured list Sunday with right shoulder inflammation. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech had been lined up to make his second start of the week in Sunday's series finale in Oakland, but he was ultimately scratched after hurting the shoulder while covering just four innings and walking seven batters in his previous outing Tuesday versus the Angels. Touki Toussaint will instead pick up the start Sunday, while Kopech will remain sidelined at least through the All-Star break as he waits for the inflammation in his shoulder to calm down. |
|
| Jun 29 2023 | Manager Pedro Grifol indicated Thursday that Kopech could have his turn in the White Sox' rotation skipped this weekend, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech's next turn lines up for Sunday in Oakland, but the White Sox currently have that spot listed as TBA. The right-hander might make just one start next week prior to the All-Star break and then get an extended break before his first outing of the second half as the team looks to keep him fresh. Kopech is on pace for about 170 innings this season after throwing around 180 frames combined the previous two campaigns and zero from 2019-20. |
|
| Jun 27 2023 | Kopech (3-7) took the loss Tuesday, allowing two runs on four hits and seven walks over four innings against the Angels. He struck out three. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Tuesday's start marked Kopech's third straight appearance lasting fewer than five innings, receiving the boot after throwing 102 pitches (53 strikes) over four frames. The 27-year-old allowed a season-high seven free passes in the loss. marking the second time he's given up more than five walks over his last three starts. Though his recent struggles and massive inefficiencies are likely to blame for his lack of depth, Kopech could be on a shorter leash moving forward if he continues to disappoint. He's expected to take the mound next against the Athletics in Oakland in a potential get-right start. |
|
| Jun 21 2023 | Kopech (3-6) took the loss Wednesday versus the Rangers, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks while striking out five over four innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech needed 86 pitches (46 strikes) to get through the short start. After the game, manager Pedro Grifol acknowledged that Kopech's struggles in the third and fourth innings played a part in his decision to turn to the bullpen, Vinnie Duber of AllCHGO.com reports. Kopech has covered 13.1 innings over his last three starts, allowing four runs in that span. He's gone five starts without a win and now has a 4.06 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 94:42 K:BB over 82 innings on the season. He's projected to make his next start on the road against the Angels. |
|
| Jun 16 2023 | Kopech allowed a run on six hits and six walks while striking out four over 4.1 innings in a no-decision versus the Mariners on Friday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech wasn't punished much for the free passes, but it did work his pitch count up to 102 (57 strikes) for just 13 outs. The six walks matched a season high for the right-hander, who has a 4.5 BB/9 on the year. Despite the control issues, he's pitched to a reasonable 3.92 ERA and 1.27 WHIP with 89 strikeouts over 78 innings across 14 starts. He's allowed just seven runs over his last six starts, so he'll try to keep up the solid pitching next week in a challenging home start versus the Rangers. |
|
| Jun 11 2023 | Kopech did not factor into the decision Saturday, allowing five hits and one walk over five scoreless innings against the Marlins. He struck out six. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It wasn't an ideal start to the contest for Kopech, as the right-hander beaned the first two hitters he faced to open the game. However, he quickly shook it off and proceeded to strike out the side to get himself out of trouble. Despite shutting out the Marlins over five innings, Kopech was still hit with a no-decision for the second straight start while lowering his ERA to 4.03 on the season. He's now allowed two or fewer runs in five of his last six starts, averaging 8.1 strikeouts per game over that stretch. |
|
| Jun 4 2023 | Kopech allowed two runs on three hits and a walk while striking out nine over seven innings in a no-decision versus the Tigers on Sunday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After a bumpy 10-strikeout effort versus the Angels on Monday, Kopech was back on track with a strong start. He limited the damage to a Spencer Torkelson two-run home run in the fourth inning. This was the third time in his last four starts that Kopech went at least seven innings, and he's had at least nine strikeouts in all of those efforts. For the season, he's at a 4.33 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 79:32 K:BB through 68.2 innings. The right-hander's 4.2 BB/9 is still concerning, but he's shown enough strikeout potential, especially recently, to garner fantasy interest. He's lined up to make his next start at home versus the Marlins. |
|
| May 29 2023 | Kopech (3-5) allowed four runs on five hits and two walks over 4.1 innings Monday, striking out 10 and taking a loss against the Angels. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech gave up four runs on two homers in the first inning but was able to dance around trouble for the rest of the outing. He struck out 10 batters but needed 102 pitches to get through just 4.1 frames. The 27-year-old also matched his season high by forcing 17 swinging strikes. Kopech has compiled a filthy 29:3 K:BB over his last three starts but his ERA jumped back up to 4.52 after Monday's shaky performance. He's projected to start at home against the Tigers this weekend. |
|
| May 24 2023 | Kopech (3-4) earned the win Wednesday, allowing two hits and a walk over 7 scoreless innings against the Guardians. He struck out nine. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech has now thrown 15 scoreless innings over his last two starts, allowing just three hits while striking out 19 in that span. It's been quite a turnaround for the 27-year-old right-hander, who posted a 5.97 ERA in his first three starts. Kopech lowered his ERA to 4.24 with a 1.22 WHIP and 60:29 K:BB across 10 starts (57.1 innings) this season. He'll look to keep rolling in his next outing, currently lined up for next week at home against the Angels. |
|
| May 19 2023 | Kopech (2-4) allowed one hit and struck out 10 over eight shutout innings to earn the win Friday over the Royals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech's lone blemish was a single to Michael Massey in the sixth inning, and Jackie Bradley prompted grounded into a double play to erase the mistake. This was arguably the best start of Kopech's career as he flirted with history while throwing 65 of 98 pitches for strikes. The 27-year-old trimmed his ERA to 4.83 with a 1.33 WHIP and 51:28 K:BB across 50.1 innings through nine starts this season. He'll look to build off of this successful outing when he takes the mound next week in a projected road start in Cleveland. |
|
| May 15 2023 | Kopech is scheduled to make his next start Friday against the Royals at Guaranteed Rate Field, James Fegan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech had been lined up to start Thursday's series finale with the Guardians in Chicago, but manager Pedro Grifol will instead use Monday's off day to reorder the rotation. Staff ace Dylan Cease will be moved up a day and flip spots in the order with Kopech, who will now take the hill for the series opener with Kansas City. |
|
| May 13 2023 | Kopech (1-4) allowed two runs on one hit and six walks over 4.2 innings Friday, striking out five and taking a loss against Houston. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech worked through three shutout frames before the Astros got on the board in the fourth. The 27-year-old righty failed to complete five innings for the first time since his season debut April 3. His command has been shaky all year, but Friday's outing set a new season high with six walks. For the year, Kopech is sporting a 41:28 K:BB and 5.74 ERA through 42.1 innings. He's currently scheduled to face the Guardians at home next week. |
|
| May 7 2023 | Kopech (1-3) allowed four runs on eight hits and a walk over six innings Sunday, striking out two and earning a win over the Reds. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It wasn't the cleanest outing but Kopech cruised to victory with a whopping 17 runs of support from his offense. Unsurprisingly, he struggled with the long ball in Cincinnati, serving up four solo homers, including Jonathan India's leadoff shot in the first inning. Kopech had allowed just three home runs over his previous five starts after coughing up five in his season debut. The 27-year-old now owns a 5.97 ERA and a 36:22 K:BB across 37.2 innings. Kopech is projected for a tough home matchup against the Astros next week. |
|
| May 3 2023 | Kopech allowed one run on a hit and five walks while striking out seven over six innings Tuesday against the Twins. He did not factor into the decision. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech was able to maneuver through his command issues to turn in his second quality start of the year. The Twins nearly got on the board in the first inning, but Andrew Benintendi was able to reach over the wall and pull in what would have been a home run by Carlos Correa. Kopech did not allow a runner in scoring position until the sixth frame. He loaded the bases after a single and two walks but escaped with just a sacrifice fly to put the Twins up 1-0. It was a nice rebound performance from Kopech, despite the shaky control, after allowing a season-high five walks. He had struggled to a 7.01 ERA across five starts in April but now has a 5.97 ERA, 1.58 WHIP and 34:21 K:BB over 31.2 innings following Tuesday's outing. He tentatively lines up for a matchup against the Reds over the weekend. |
|
| Apr 3 2023 | Kopech took the loss Monday, allowing seven runs on eight hits and three walks over 4.2 innings of work against the Giants. He struck out five. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech could not keep the ball in the park during Monday's loss, as five San Francisco hitters took him deep before his exit. The right-hander fell behind in counts consistently through his 4.2 frames, as he threw first strikes to hitters just 13 out of 25 attempts. It's a disappointing first outing for Kopech after some high praise for his work this spring, but he'll get a chance to bounce back in his next outing, which is scheduled for Sunday against the Pirates. |
|
| Mar 12 2023 | Kopech didn't allow a baserunner across three scoreless innings while striking out one in Cactus League action Sunday against the Angels. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The outing was Kopech's debut this spring, as he was brought along slowly while recovering from offseason knee surgery. He showed no ill effects while touching 98 mph with his fastball and requiring only 37 pitches to complete his work. Kopech still has plenty to improve upon in future outings, including throwing his changeup more -- he threw it only once Sunday -- and adjusting to the pitch clock, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. |
|
| Mar 3 2023 | Kopech is planning to throw his changeup more in 2023, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech has reportedly been working on his changeup this offseason and is hoping to mix in the pitch more to an arsenal that already includes a fastball, slider and curveball. According to Baseball Savant, Kopech threw his changeup only 25 times in 2022 -- primarily against left-handed batters. |
|
| Feb 16 2023 | White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said Thursday that Kopech (knee) doesn't have any lingering issues this spring, James Fegan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech reported early to White Sox camp in Arizona and has already completed a couple of successful bullpen sessions. "He's on pace," said Grifol. "He's in a good spot." The 26-year-old was limited to 119.1 innings (25 starts) last season due to knee and shoulder issues, but he appears to be locked into a regular spot in Chicago's starting rotation heading into 2023. |
|
| Jan 13 2023 | Kopech (knee) signed a one-year contract with the White Sox on Friday to avoid arbitration, James Fegan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech offered a mixed bag in 2022, holding a 3.54 ERA but with a 105:57 K:BB over 119.1 innings before shoulder and knee injuries prematurely ended his season. The hope is that he will be ready for spring training, but he won't be a good bet for a full workload in 2023. |
|
| Nov 17 2022 | Kopech's (knee) rehab process has been more gradual than expected, James Fegan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopeck missed the end of the 2022 season due to a shoulder injury and underwent surgery on his right knee in early October. While he hasn't progressed as quickly as anticipated, the White Sox still expect him to be ready for the start of spring training, and he's expected to be ready to throw 85 pitches over five innings by the time the regular season gets underway. |
|
| Oct 1 2022 | Kopech (shoulder) underwent surgery on his right knee Thursday, James Fegan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech was already likely to miss the rest of the 2022 season due to a shoulder injury. That's now official, and he'll end the campaign with a 3.54 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 105:57 K:BB across 119.1 frames. Kopech is expected to overcome both issues in time to pitch without limitations for the beginning of spring training in 2023. |
|
| Sep 27 2022 | Interim manager Miguel Cairo said Kopech (shoulder) likely won't pitch again this season, Vinnie Duber of AllCHGO.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Cairo said that with nine games left in the season for the White Sox, they have run out of time to get Kopech back to 100 percent. Rushing Kopech back for one start simply isn't worth it. The 26-year-old righty had a solid season, posting a 3.54 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 119.1 innings. |
|
| Sep 17 2022 | Kopech was placed on the 15-day inured list Saturday due to shoulder inflammation, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech has yet to be officially ruled out for the season, per James Fegan of The Athletic, but it's certainly possible that he's done for the year. The team has no long-term concerns, but whether or not he makes it back depends in part on how his shoulder responds when he plays catch next week and in part on if the White Sox are still in the playoff hunt when he's eligible to return. Even if he does pitch again this season, it may be for just a single start. Davis Martin was recalled and could take his place in the rotation. |
|
| Sep 13 2022 | Kopech (5-9) earned the win over the Rockies on Tuesday. He allowed two runs on three hits and no walks while striking out three over five innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech limited the damage to an Alan Trejo two-run home run in the third inning. This was Kopech's sharpest outing since Aug. 12 versus the Tigers, as he'd allowed 11 runs in 9.2 innings across his previous three outings, one of which was cut short by a knee injury. The right-hander has a 3.77 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 105:57 K:BB through 119.1 innings across 25 starts this year. He's projected for a favorable road start in Detroit this weekend. |
|
| Sep 8 2022 | Kopech did not factor into the decision Wednesday, allowing four runs on four hits and two walks over 3.2 innings against the Mariners. He struck out four. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech allowed a two-run homer off the bat of Eugenio Suarez. It was the righty's first start after spending just over two weeks on the injured list with a knee strain. Kopech struggled in the five starts prior to his injury, recording a 5.24 ERA with an 0-3 record during that span. In addition, the 26-year-old has had more difficulty in 11 road starts with a 4.80 ERA and 1.50 WHIP over 50.2 innings compared to a 2.97 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in 63.2 innings across 12 starts in Chicago |
|
| Sep 7 2022 | Kopech (knee) was reinstated from the 15-day injured list ahead of Wednesday's start against the Mariners. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech dealt with a knee strain over the last few weeks but threw bullpen sessions Friday and Sunday and has officially been cleared to return following a minimal stay on the injured list. Because Kopech didn't get fully ramped up while he was on the shelf, acting manager Miguel Cairo said the right-hander will likely be limited to around 75-to-80 pitches or five innings in Wednesday's start, per Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times. Over his five starts prior to his absence, Kopech posted a 5.24 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 22.1 innings. |
|
| Sep 6 2022 | Kopech (knee) is expected to be reinstated from the 15-day injured list to start Wednesday against the Mariners, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 26-year-old completed bullpen sessions Friday and Sunday with no issues and is poised to return from the knee strain after spending the 15-day minimum on the shelf. It was a brief absence for Kopech, but he could still face some workload limitations in his first start back with the White Sox. |
|
| Sep 4 2022 | Kopech (knee) threw a bullpen session Sunday, James Fegan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech landed on the injured list with a left knee strain Aug. 23 and threw his first bullpen session Friday, and he returned to the mound for another session Sunday. He's eligible to return from the IL for Wednesday's matchup with the Mariners, and the White Sox's decision to demote fill-in starter Davis Martin to Triple-A Charlotte on Sunday would seem to hint that Chicago expects Kopech to be ready to go by the middle of the week. |
|
| Sep 3 2022 | Kopech (knee) threw a bullpen session Friday, James Fegan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech has been on the injured list since Aug. 23 due to a left knee strain, but he's now been cleared to resume mound work. The White Sox hope that he'll be able to return from the IL when first eligible Sept. 7, but the team will wait to see how he progresses in the coming days prior to officially determining his return date. |
|
| Aug 23 2022 | The White Sox placed Kopech on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a left knee strain. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After Kopech exited in the first inning of his start during Monday's 6-4 loss to the Royals, manager Tony La Russa said the right-hander was dealing with a hamstring issue, but the White Sox provided an updated diagnosed upon placing the 26-year-old on the IL. The severity of his left knee strain isn't fully known, though the White Sox are tentatively planning on Kopech being ready to return from the shelf when first eligible Sept. 7, per Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times. Even if that's the case, Kopech's impending two-week absence could still make it difficult for fantasy managers to justify holding him at this stage of the season. The White Sox called up Tanner Banks from Triple-A Charlotte to provide the team with a multi-inning option out of the bullpen until a replacement in the rotation is needed for Kopech beginning with Saturday's game against the Diamondbacks. |
|
| Aug 22 2022 | Kopech was removed from Monday's start against the Royals due to a hamstring injury, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The White Sox initially announced that Kopech was dealing with a knee injury after he departed Monday's start, but manager Tony La Russa clarified after the game that the right-hander is dealing with a hamstring issue. Kopech will presumably be monitored further in the coming days before the White Sox determine whether he's able to make his next start, which tentatively lines up for Saturday at home against the Diamondbacks. |
|
| Aug 17 2022 | Kopech (4-9) was tagged with the loss against Houston on Wednesday, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out two batters over six innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech wasn't dominant in the outing -- he induced just seven swinging strikes and fanned only two batters -- but he kept Chicago in the game with his third quality start over his past four outings. However, opposing starter Framber Valdez recorded his 20th straight quality start and allowed one fewer run to send Kopech to defeat. Despite the loss, the right-hander continued a recent run of solid pitching -- he has given up three or fewer earned runs in eight of his past 10 starts. He has a poor 43:28 K:BB across 48 innings during that stretch, however, and his strikeout rate has dipped from an impressive 36.1 percent last season to a mediocre 22.4 percent during the current campaign. |
|
| Aug 12 2022 | Kopech struck out 11 batters through six no-hit innings in Friday's win over Detroit. He walked three and did not factor in the decision. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech was untouchable Friday but he settled for a no-decision due to his offense's slow start. It was his first double-digit strikeout performance of the year and he forced a season-high 22 whiffs. The 26-year-old completed six innings for the second time since the start of July and lowered his season ERA to 3.18 through 104.2 frames. Kopech is projected to take on the Astros at home next week. |
|
| Aug 7 2022 | Kopech (4-8) gave up four earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out four over 3.1 innings to take the loss in an 8-0 defeat to the Rangers on Saturday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech's 97 mph fastball wasn't enough to overpower the Rangers, and he was saddled with his eighth loss of the season after being chased in the fourth inning. The major damage came on a bases-loaded single off the bat of Adolis Garcia. Kopech was also responsible for a runner who came in to score on a wild pitch by reliever Jose Ruiz after he had left the game. Kopech had an ERA of 1.92 on June 12, but the nine starts he has made since that time have lifted it to 3.38. The 26-year-old right-hander will look to rebound in his next start, which is expected to come against the weak Tigers lineup. |
|
| Aug 1 2022 | Kopech (4-7) took the loss Monday versus the Royals. He allowed two runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts in seven innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech hadn't allowed a home run in either of his last two starts, but he was tagged for solo shots by Salvador Perez and Whit Merrifield in this contest. The seven innings Kopech pitched matched a season high, and this was the first time in seven starts he didn't walk multiple batters. The right-hander owns a 3.12 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 81:46 K:BB through 95.1 innings in 19 starts. He's projected for a road start against the Rangers this weekend. |
|
| Jul 26 2022 | Kopech (4-6) allowed six hits and three walks while striking out four in 5.1 scoreless innings to earn the win Tuesday over the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech escaped Coors Field unscathed, even though he permitted nine baserunners for the third time in four starts. The White Sox took the lead in the fourth inning, and held onto it to given Kopech consecutive wins for the first time this year. He's posted a steady 3.16 ERA with a 1.21 WHIP and 78:45 K:BB through 88.1 innings in 18 starts. The right-hander is projected for a favorable home start versus the Royals next week. |
|
| Jul 15 2022 | Kopech (3-6) earned the win during Friday's 6-2 victory over Minnesota, allowing two runs on five hits and four walks with two strikeouts in five innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech surrendered both runs on his ledger on three baserunners in the first inning, however, he settled down from there to keep Minnesota off the board despite traffic on the bases. The 26-year-old has noticeably slowed since posting a 1.92 ERA in 11 games through June 12, posting a 5.74 ERA through 31.1 innings in six turns since. Combined, Kopech owns a 3.36 ERA and 1.18 WHIP with 74 strikeouts in 83 innings across 17 starts at the first half's conclusion. |
|
| Jul 10 2022 | Kopech allowed two runs on four hits and three walks over 5.1 innings in Sunday's win over Detroit. He struck out four and did not factor in the decision. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech got off to an ugly start Sunday; he walked Riley Greene on four pitches and then served up a two-run shot to Javier Baez before recording an out. After the early struggle, Kopech kept the Tigers off the board for the rest of his outing. He broke an ugly four-start losing streak in which he allowed 16 earned runs over 21 innings. The 26-year-old righty owns a 3.35 ERA with a 72:38 K:BB through 78 innings this season. Kopech is projected to start in Minnesota next week. |
|
| Jul 5 2022 | Kopech (2-6) took the loss during Tuesday's 8-2 defeat at the hands of the Twins, allowing six runs on eight hits and four walks with five strikeouts in 4.2 innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first inning and fired a scoreless second, but it was all downhill from there. The 26-year-old went on to permit long balls in each of the next three frames and was stung with a season-high six earned runs while issuing four walks for the fourth time this season. Kopech has now lost four straight starts, though his season line still features an above average 3.34 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 68 strikeouts in 72.2 innings. He'll look to get back on track this weekend as he's set to oppose Detroit. |
|
| Jun 30 2022 | Kopech (2-5) took the loss against the Angels on Wednesday, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks while striking out six batters over 5.1 innings. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech fell behind early, allowing two runs in the first inning -- including one that scored on his own error. He settled down to hold Los Angeles scoreless over the next four frames before serving up a two-run homer to Luis Rengifo in the sixth. That was more than enough for the Angels to claim victory on a night when Shohei Ohtani struck out 11 over 5.2 scoreless frames. Kopech has taken a loss in each of his past three starts, allowing 10 earned runs and posting a 12:7 K:BB over 16.1 innings during that stretch. |
|
| Jun 19 2022 | Kopech (2-3) allowed four runs on seven hits and a walk with four strikeouts in five innings, taking the loss Sunday versus the Astros. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech didn't have to miss a turn in the rotation after leaving last Sunday's start with knee discomfort. He wasn't great in his return to game action, with three of the four runs he allowed coming on home runs -- a solo shot by J.J. Matijevic in the fourth inning and a two-run blast from Mauricio Dubon in the fifth. Kopech has allowed multiple runs in only four of his 12 starts this season. He has a strong 2.38 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 55:25 K:BB through 56.2 innings. Sunday's was a tough matchup for the 26-year-old, but he lines up for a more favorable home start versus the Orioles next weekend. |
|
| Jun 17 2022 | Kopech (knee) will start Sunday against the Astros, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech left his previous start last Sunday with a knee issue after recording just two outs. He was quickly cleared of anything worse than discomfort, however, and he noted the next day that he felt much better after getting some fluid drained. He tested his knee in a bullpen session Thursday and evidently proved to the team that he was good to go without missing a turn in the rotation. |
|
| Jun 15 2022 | Kopech (knee) will throw a bullpen session Thursday, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech sustained a knee injury Sunday against the Rangers but felt better Monday after getting fluid drained from his knee. He'll test his knee during Thursday's throwing session and tentatively lines up to start Sunday against Houston if he feels good after his bullpen. |
|
| Jun 13 2022 | Kopech is feeling "a lot better" Monday after getting fluid drained from behind his knee, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech left his start Sunday against the Rangers with right knee discomfort after recording just two outs, but he's yet to be placed on the injured list. He was cleared of structural damage following an MRI on Sunday, so if he continues to feel fine, he seemingly has a good chance to make his next start next weekend against the Astros. |
|
| Jun 12 2022 | Kopech (knee) underwent an MRI on Sunday that didn't reveal any structural damage, James Fegan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech exited Sunday's start against the Rangers due to right knee discomfort and said after the game that he has some fluid built up and is feeling sore. While it's not yet clear whether the right-hander will need to miss any additional time, he hasn't been ruled out for his next turn through the rotation, and his injury doesn't appear to be a particularly serious concern. If Kopech is cleared to make his next start, he projects to take the mound on the road against Houston on Sunday. |
|
| Jun 8 2022 | Kopech (2-2) earned the win Tuesday, allowing zero runs on one hit and one walk over six innings against the Dodgers. He struck out eight. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech bounced back extremely well after a rough outing against the Blue Jays where he allowed five earned runs. In Tuesday's game against the Dodgers, the righty was dominant. The eight strikeouts were the most that Kopech has had in a single game this season. In addition to earning the win, he also picked up a quality start, his fourth in his last five games. The flamethrower will take a 1.94 ERA into his next start. |
|
| Jun 2 2022 | Kopech (1-2) took the loss Wednesday, allowing five runs on six hits and four walks over three innings against the Blue Jays. He struck out four. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After tossing seven scoreless innings against the Yankees on May 22, the White Sox opted to give the right-hander extra rest heading into Wednesday's matchup. However, Kopech appeared rusty and allowed runs in all three innings he pitched, including a three-run homer to Danny Jansen in the bottom of the third. Despite the poor start, Kopech still sports a 2.20 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP and has 43 strikeouts across 45.0 innings. His next start is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday's matchup with the Dodgers. |
|
| May 24 2022 | Kopech won't start this week as the White Sox look to give him some extra rest, James Fegan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech pitched on extra rest Sunday against the Yankees and was dominant, throwing seven shutout innings while allowing just one hit. He isn't scheduled to pitch in any of his team's games this week, and the White Sox have an off day Monday, so it looks as though he'll pitch on eight days' rest May 31 in Toronto. The news is unfortunate for those with Kopech already locked into their weekly lineups, but the White Sox were always going to find some way to limit Kopech's workload this season, as he's pitching out of the rotation for the first time since 2018 after throwing just 69.1 regular-season innings last year. |
|
| May 23 2022 | Kopech (1-1) earned the win, striking out six in seven scoreless innings while giving up two walks and a hit in a 5-0 victory Sunday against the Yankees. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech retired the first 17 batters he faced before allowing his lone hit, a double to Rob Brantly. He pitched around two walks in the bottom of the seventh and the White Sox scored five times in the top of the eighth to put Kopech in line for the win. It was the longest, and arguably best, start of his major-league career. The 26-year-old has been incredibly stingy and batters are hitting just .122 with no home runs against him through 42 innings. His next start will likely be next weekend against the Cubs. |
|
| May 20 2022 | Kopech was activated from the paternity list Friday, LaMond Pope of the Chicago Tribune reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 26-year-old landed on the paternity list Tuesday and will return without missing a start, as expected. Kopech lines up to take the mound Sunday against the Yankees, with Dallas Keuchel and Johnny Cueto poised to start the first two games of the series. |
|
| May 17 2022 | The White Sox placed Kopech on the paternity list Tuesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech will be away from the team for up to three days while he witnesses the birth of his child. After making his most recent start Sunday, Kopech wouldn't have been in line to make his next start until Friday in New York anyway, so his placement on the paternity list shouldn't affect his availability this week. The White Sox are expected to return Lucas Giolito (illness) from the COVID-19 injured list to start Wednesday in Kansas City, so Kopech could end up getting an additional day of rest to make his next start Saturday, which would also come against the Yankees. |
|
| May 15 2022 | Kopech (0-1) allowed three runs on one hit and four walks over six innings Sunday, striking out three and taking a loss against the Yankees. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech looked solid for most of Sunday's outing, but he lost his command in the second inning. All five Yankees that reached base against him did so in the second as Kopech walked in a pair of runs and allowed another on a wild pitch. The other five innings in his start were all perfect. The 26-year-old righty is sporting a 1.54 ERA through 35 frames. Kopech is expected to get a rematch on the road against the Yankees next weekend. |
|
| May 9 2022 | Kopech allowed one unearned run on two hits and two walks over six innings in Monday's loss to Cleveland. He struck out seven and did not factor in the decision. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech coughed up a run on a fielding error in the first inning before keeping the Guardians off the board for the next five frames. It was his longest outing of the year and he lowered his season ERA to 0.93 through 29 innings. The 6-foot-3 righty has yet to allow more than two runs in any of his six outings to date. Kopech is lined up to face the Yankees at home this weekend. |
|
| May 3 2022 | Kopech struck out five in four scoreless innings, allowing four hits and two walks in a 3-1 win Tuesday over the Cubs. He did not factor into the decision. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech allowed multiple baserunners in three of the four innings he pitched but was able to get out of trouble each time. He left the game after tossing 83 pitches. The 26-year-old has an excellent 1.17 ERA in 23 innings this season, not allowing more than two runs in any start and not yet giving up a homer. Over his first five starts, however, he has struggled with control, walking 4.3 batters per nine innings. His next start will likely be early next week against Cleveland. |
|
| Apr 22 2022 | Kopech struck out seven in five scoreless innings, allowing three hits and walking one in a 2-1 loss Friday in Minnesota. He did not factor into the decision. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech never had a runner get past second base as he scattered three hits and a walk. He left the game leading 1-0 and in line to record his first win of the season but the bullpen was unable to hold the slim lead. The 26-year-old has allowed one run or less in each of his three starts and is sporting a 0.64 ERA. With 83 pitches Friday, Kopech has increased his pitch count in each appearance and could secure his first win soon if he continues with a similar workload. |
|
| Apr 17 2022 | Kopech allowed one run (none earned) on one hit and two walks while striking out five across five innings Saturday against the Rays. He did not factor into the decision. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech walked the first batter he faced, who then came around to score after Kopech was let down by some poor defense. That accounted for the only run the right-hander allowed, and he dominated from there by inducing seven flyball outs and 13 swinging strikes on 75 total pitches. While he's walked multiple hitters in each of his first two outings this season, Kopech has allowed only one earned run with an 8:4 K:BB across nine total frames. |
|
| Apr 10 2022 | Kopech allowed one run on two hits and two walks over four innings in Sunday's win over the Tigers. He struck out three and did not factor in the decision. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech coughed up an RBI triple to Victor Reyes in the second inning but kept the Tigers off the board otherwise. He started in four of his 44 appearances last season and never threw more than five innings in a single outing. The White Sox look to finally be stretching him out as a full-time starter after he missed the entire 2019 and 2020 seasons. Kopech is lined up to face the Rays at home next week. |
|
| Apr 4 2022 | Kopech is scheduled to start the White Sox's third game of the season Sunday in Detroit, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: An illness suffered during the offseason set Kopech back in his buildup program and initially looked like something that could derail his bid for the Opening Day rotation, but the right-hander has since erased any concerns about his availability by tossing two innings in his Cactus League debut Thursday. Before taking the hill for his regular-season debut this weekend, Kopech will make one final spring tuneup outing Tuesday against the Padres. He's scheduled to cover three frames in that start, so expect Kopech to be limited to around four or five innings Sunday. The White Sox could consider deploying Kopech as part of a tandem this weekend with either Vince Velasquez or Reynaldo Lopez. |
|
| Mar 31 2022 | Kopech threw two innings while allowing one earned run in Thursday's Cactus League matchup against the Reds, James Fegan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech was behind in his preparation for the regular season due to an illness that he suffered from over the winter. However, he was strong in his spring debut, as he was hitting between 95 and 98 mph with his fastball and also consistently threw his curveball for strikes. "The plan today was no more than what I did," Kopech said after the outing. "But I said when I came out [of the game] that I felt like I was good to go for another [inning]." It remains to be seen whether the right-hander will be ready to start the season in the rotation, though this is a positive step in that direction. |
|
| Mar 30 2022 | Kopech (not injury related) is scheduled to make his Cactus League debut Friday against the Reds, James Fegan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The White Sox plan to have Kopech work two innings before giving way to Vince Velasquez, who is expected to cover two frames of his own. Kopech, Velasquez and Reynaldo Lopez are among the candidates for the No. 5 spot in the White Sox rotation, but Kopech is the presumptive frontrunner for the job if he's able to get fully stretched out for starting duty before camp closes. Kopech's spring debut was delayed after he battled an illness over the winter, which affected his preparation before he reported to camp. The right-hander has seemingly steered clear of any setbacks since then, but even if he dazzles in Friday's outing and another potential exhibition appearance next week, he could face a workload restriction to begin the regular season. Additionally, the White Sox won't require a fifth starter until April 16 against the Rays, so it's possible that Kopech gets stretched out in the bullpen during the first week of the season before slotting into the rotation. |
|
| Mar 14 2022 | General manager Rick Hahn said Monday that Kopech is behind the White Sox's other starting candidates to begin big-league spring training after an illness earlier in the winter slowed down the right-hander's buildup program, aVinnie Duber of NBC Sports Chicago reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Because Kopech missed the entirety of the 2019 and 2020 seasons and tossed only 69.1 regular-season innings in 2021 while working primarily out of the bullpen, the White Sox were already planning to take a cautious approach with his workload heading into 2022. The time Kopech missed during the offseason while battling the illness looks as though it'll prompt even more caution, but Hahn indicated that the White Sox are still expecting the 25-year-old to be ready to go for Opening Day. If he is in fact able to nail down the No. 5 spot in Chicago's rotation, Kopech will almost certainly be on strict pitch counts in his initial outings, and perhaps even serve as more of a tandem starter with another pitcher. While that would be less than ideal for his chances of factoring into decisions, Kopech should remain a strong source of strikeouts and ratios on whatever innings he provides. |
|
| Nov 22 2021 | White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said earlier this month that Kopech will compete for a spot in the rotation in spring training, Vinnie Duber of NBC Sports Chicago reports. "Obviously, we had Kopech probably deeper into his professional development entering the '21 season than [Garrett] Crochet was, but we were able to find a way to use him in the bullpen but still get him the occasional start, get him stretched out some and put him in a decent position entering this season to be in the rotation," Hahn said. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Like Kopech, Crochet is another prospect who came through the farm system as a starter, but he worked out of the bullpen in 2021 as the organization aimed to manage his innings. While the White Sox have yet to decide whether Crochet will audition for a starting role in 2022 or continue to work in a high-leverage role out of the bullpen, Kopech will at least get the chance to stake his claim to a starting role. Given that Kopech in three years older than Crochet and had an encouraging 2021 campaign as a multi-inning reliever after having not pitched in either of the previous two seasons, the White Sox likely won't be as restrictive with the 25-year-old righty's development moving forward. Kopech built up to 69.1 innings across 44 appearances -- including four spot starts -- last season, finishing with a 3.50 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and a 103:24 K:BB. Reynaldo Lopez looks like Kopech's top challenger for a back-end rotation spot, though it's possible Crochet or an offseason pickup could also make a claim for a starting role. |
|
| Oct 18 2021 | Kopech could be moved into the starting rotation next season, Vinnie Duber of NBC Sports Chicago reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Duber adds that Craig Kimbrel might not return in 2022, so Kopech could also serve as the team's top setup option in front of closer Liam Hendriks. However, it appears that the organization wants to see Kopech in the rotation, which would seemingly increase his fantasy value if he finds success as a starter. The 25-year-old would likely have a capped workload, though, after tossing just 69.1 innings as a reliever this season. |
|
| Oct 11 2021 | Kopech was credited with the win in Sunday's 12-6 victory over the Astros in Game 3 of the ALDS after he tossed 2.1 innings out of the bullpen and gave up three runs on four hits and a walk while striking out five. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Summoned from the bullpen midway through the second inning after starter Dylan Cease allowed five of the 10 batters he faced to reach base, Kopech recorded the final out of the frame to keep the White Sox's deficit at two runs. Kopech then served up a two-run home run an inning later to give Houston a four-run lead, but the White Sox rallied with five runs in the bottom of the third to put the right-hander in line for the win. The rest of the Chicago bullpen kept the Houston bats quiet for the rest of the night to help the White Sox avoid falling into a 3-0 series hole. |
|
| Sep 24 2021 | Kopech pitched two perfect innings while striking out four in the loss to Cleveland in Game 2 of Thursday's doubleheader. He did not factor into the decision. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech struck out the side in the first inning, and followed it with another three-up three-down second inning. He's allowed just one run with 17 strikeouts over nine innings in his last six appearances. The 25-year-old has a 3.57 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with a 13.4 K/9 in 63 innings this season. |
|
| Sep 23 2021 | Kopech is starting the second game of Thursday's doubleheader against Cleveland, Scot Gregor of the Chicago Daily Herald reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech has had several multi-inning appearances recently, and he'll make his fourth start of the year in Thursday's nightcap. The right-hander has recorded a 1.29 ERA and 0.86 WHIP in seven innings across his last five appearances. |
|
| Sep 12 2021 | Kopech walked one and struck out five over 2.1 scoreless relief innings in Saturday's 9-8 extra-inning loss to Boston. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The White Sox dug into the bullpen early because starter Dylan Cease was tagged for seven runs in the third inning and had shaky command throughout. Kopech has been hammered recently, watching his ERA jump to 4.00 following a stretch in which he allowed 17 runs in 12.2 innings, but showed no such struggles this weekend against Boston. Kopech fanned seven over a combined three scoreless innings Friday and Saturday. With some cracks showing in the rotation, Kopech could be a big multi-inning piece during the postseason. |
|
| Sep 1 2021 | Kopech (4-2) struck out two over a scoreless and hitless sixth inning to earn the win over Pittsburgh on Tuesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: White Sox starter Lucas Giolito left a tie game after 4.1 innings with a hamstring injury, opening the door for a potential relief win. Kopech, whose ERA took a beating recently after giving seven runs in 2.1 innings, appears to have regained form. He's executed two consecutive scoreless outings, striking out four over two innings. |
|
| Aug 20 2021 | Kopech (3-2) allowed two runs on two hits while striking out one to pick up the loss Thursday to Oakland. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech entered a tie game to begin the seventh inning and nearly got out of with a perfect inning, but a shaky decision by first baseman Andrew Vaughn contributed to a two-out, two-run home run by Matt Olson. The first batter Kopech faced hit a grounder toward second base, but Vaughn ranged far to his right for it, then threw wildly from his knees to Kopech covering first on a play that was ruled a hit. The right-hander got the next two batters out before Olson's dinger. Kopech remains a trusted bullpen arm that's posted a 2.74 ERA with 68 strikeouts over 49.1 innings. |
|
| Aug 1 2021 | Kopech (3-1) allowed five runs on five hits and one walk while striking out one over one inning to take the loss against Cleveland on Saturday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This outing came out of the blue for Kopech, who had not allowed more than one run in any of his previous appearances this season and had surrendered just two earned runs over 15 innings entering Saturday's contest. As such, the White Sox will be reviewing tape to ensure the right-hander was not tipping pitches, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. |
|
| Jul 29 2021 | Kopech retired the side in order during the eighth inning of Wednesday's 3-2 extra-inning loss to the Royals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech picked up his eighth hold of the season Wednesday before closer Liam Hendriks surrendered the lead in the ninth. The day prior, Kopech slammed the door on the Royals in the eighth, fanning Whit Merrifield, Carlos Santana and Salvador Perez. Since coming off the injured list in early July, Kopech has a 0.90 ERA, six holds and 14 strikeouts over 10 innings. The White Sox still view the right-hander as a starter long-term but will continue to deploy Kopech as a bullpen piece late in games. Given that eight of Kopech's nine outings since returning have lasted just three outs, it's unlikely he'll be used as a fill-in starter. |
|
| Jun 30 2021 | Kopech (hamstring) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list prior to Tuesday's game against the Twins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech has been on the injured list with a strained left hamstring since late May. The right-hander most recently threw to hitters Monday, and he'll now rejoin the Chicago bullpen without going on a rehab assignment. Kopech posted a dazzling 1.72 ERA and 0.99 WHIP to go along with a 45:11 K:BB across 31.1 innings before the injury, and he should slot back in as one of the club's top relievers going forward. |
|
| Jun 25 2021 | Kopech (hamstring) looked good in a simulated game Friday and will throw another one Monday, Scot Gregor of the Chicago Daily Herald reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech has been out for just shy of a month with a strained left hamstring. Manager Tony La Russa was particularly impressed with the young righty's command, but he's still not quite ready to either embark on a rehab assignment or return to the active roster. His next step should become clearer Monday. |
|
| Jun 22 2021 | Kopech (hamstring) is expected to throw another bullpen Wednesday and a simulated game Friday, James Fegan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Manager Tony La Russa said the team will "see where he's at" after Friday's simulated game. While the team hasn't yet given a date for his return, Kopech appears to be nearing that point as his throwing progression continues. |
|
| Jun 16 2021 | Kopech (hamstring) is improving but isn't yet ready to return, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech threw off a mound Tuesday, but manager Tony La Russa said Wednesday that he still doesn't have a date for the right-hander to return to game action. While he appears to be on the right track, it's not yet clear whether the 25-year-old will require a rehab stint prior to rejoining the major-league bullpen. |
|
| Jun 10 2021 | Kopech (hamstring) will resume throwing bullpen sessions and likely throw a sim game in the coming days, Vinnie Duber of NBC Sports Chicago reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech was still dealing with discomfort earlier in the week, but will enter "the next phase" of his recovery soon according to general manager Rick Hahn. It has yet to be decided whether Kopech will need a rehab assignment, or if he will be able to throw enough as he regains his health to be activated as soon as he is fully healthy. |
|
| Jun 8 2021 | Kopech (hamstring) is still feeling a bit of discomfort in his strained left hamstring, James Fegan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Manager Tony La Russa said Kopech still "has a little pinch" in the hamstring when running, and he want the young pitcher to run with limitations. That being said, the hard-throwing righty has made considerable progress in his recovery and will likely be activated from the injured list in the near future. |
|
| Jun 6 2021 | Manager Tony La Russa said Sunday that Kopech (hamstring) ran sprints and is progressing well in his recovery, James Fegan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech was placed on the injured list May 31 with a Grade 1 strain of his left hamstring. Per La Russa, everything is going well with the righty's throwing and exercise programs as he eyes a return to the Chicago bullpen. It's not yet clear if he'll be able to be reinstated when eligible June 8, but he doesn't figure to be out much longer than that, assuming all continues to go well with his recovery. |
|
| Jun 1 2021 | Kopech is dealing with a Grade 1 strain to his left hamstring, James Fegan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: While general manager Rick Hahn doesn't believe the injury will sideline Kopech for an extended time, he's not sure the righty will be ready for activation when eligible June 8. The coveted prospect has excelled as both a reliever and a spot starter in 2021, posting a 1.72 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 31.1 total innings. |
|
| May 31 2021 | Kopech has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring, retroactive to May 28, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech had been on the bereavement list since May 27, but now he will move to the injured list with the hamstring issue. The injury is not thought to be very serious, so it's possible that Kopech could return when eligible June 8. |
|
| May 28 2021 | Kopech (hamstring/personal) won't start either half of Monday's doubleheader against Cleveland, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech is dealing with a sore left hamstring, though he's currently away from the team while on the bereavement list rather than the injured list. It's unclear which issue is the one that will keep him from returning Monday. |
|
| May 27 2021 | The White Sox placed Kopech (hamstring) on the bereavement list Thursday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech picked up a left hamstring injury during his relief appearance Wednesday against the Cardinals, but it's a personal matter that will keep him away from the team for the time being. According to James Fegan of The Athletic, manager Tony La Russa said that Kopech underwent imaging on the hamstring that revealed nothing overly concerning, so the White Sox are seemingly optimistic that he'll be ready to pitch once he's reinstated from the bereavement list. The right-hander will remain on the bereavement list for a minimum of three days and no more than seven. |
|
| May 26 2021 | Kopech is day-to-day after suffering from a sore left hamstring during his relief appearance Wednesday against the Cardinals, James Fegan of The Athleticreports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech fell awkwardly on the last pitch of his scoreless seventh inning Wednesday, but he appears to have avoided any significant injury. Considering their bullpen depth and Kopech's immense long-term potential, it's unlikely the White Sox rush his return. |
|
| May 25 2021 | Kopech blanked the Cardinals over two innings of relief in a 5-1 win Monday. He struck out three and gave up two hits with no walks in the 28-pitch outing. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech protected Chicago's four-run lead during the final two frames after starter Lance Lynn exited following seven innings of one-run ball. After the scoreless appearance, Kopech's ERA now sits at 1.78 over 30.1 innings, with the right-hander having piled up 45 strikeouts across his 13 outings. The White Sox have no immediate plans to move Kopech into the rotation, but his sterling ratios out of the bullpen are enough to make him worthy of rostering in just about any fantasy league. |
|
| May 14 2021 | Kopech didn't factor into the decision in the second game of Friday's doubleheader against the Royals, allowing one run on two hits and two walks over four innings. He struck out five. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The right-hander fired 40 of 65 pitches for strikes but wasn't allowed to head out for the fifth inning to try and secure his third win of the year. Kopech has been outstanding no matter what role he's been used in, posting a 1.71 ERA and 40:10 K:BB through 26.1 innings over 10 appearances (three starts). |
|
| May 10 2021 | Kopech is being considered to start one of Friday's doubleheader games against the Royals, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Used primarily has a multi-inning reliever in 2021, Kopech has started two games, including a 10-strikeout performance over five innings April 25 against the Rangers. He most recently pitched Saturday, when the right-hander allowed one run and three hits while striking out one over two innings (28 pitches). |
|
| May 2 2021 | Kopech allowed one hit and struck out three over three scoreless innings in Saturday's 7-3 win over Cleveland. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech pitched for the first time since a five-inning start last Sunday and picked up his first hold of the season. The right-hander continues to dominate whether as a starter or reliever. He's started twice, but the White Sox are largely sticking to the plan of using him for multiple-inning stints out of the bullpen. Kopech has a 1.45 ERA and 0.64 WHIP with a 30:4 K:BB while holding opponents to a .125 batting average in 18.2 innings. |
|
| Apr 25 2021 | Kopech (2-0) allowed one run on four hits and struck out 10 over five innings to earn the win Sunday versus the Rangers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech wasn't expected to make a long start, but he did enough to be eligible for the win. The White Sox offense took care of the rest, providing plenty of run support. The 24-year-old right-hander has a 1.72 ERA, 0.70 WHIP and 27:4 K:BB across 15.2 innings this season. He's made two starts and six total appearances, but Kopech may have to settle for a long-relief role once Lance Lynn (back) returns. |
|
| Apr 24 2021 | Kopech will start Sunday's game against the Rangers, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Lucas Giolito was expected to work Sunday's game, but the team will instead opt to give Kopech his second start of the season. Kopech threw only 41 pitches across three innings in his first start of the campaign, leaving it unclear how deep he will be able to work this time around. On the other hand, he's provided quality innings while on the mound, amassing a 1.69 ERA with a 17:4 K:BB across 10.2 frames. |
|
| Apr 18 2021 | Kopech allowed one run on one hit and one walk while striking out four over three-plus innings in a 5-1 win over the Red Sox in the second game of Sunday's doubleheader. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech set down the first nine batters before Enrique Hernandez walked and Alex Verdugo singled to lead off the fourth inning. That ended Kopech's night at 41 pitches. Manager Tony La Russa said Kopech would pitch at most three innings, pending his pitch count, but trotted him out there to start the fourth given his efficiency over the first three frames. An obvious leap following the game is that Kopech could get another start for Lance Lynn (back), who was placed on the injured list Sunday and will miss at least one start, but La Russa put a damper on that notion. "Down the road he'll be in the rotation," La Russa told Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times. "But [first] he's going to be a force coming out of our bullpen." |
|
| Apr 13 2021 | Kopech has been bouncing back strong from his multi-inning relief appearances and would have been an option to start Monday for Carlos Rodon (illness) had he not pitched the day before, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The White Sox no longer have a vacancy in the rotation, as Rodon is set to start Wednesday, but it's encouraging to know that Kopech could be an option in the future. He has dominated to the tune of 6.1 scoreless frames in three appearances, striking out 11 and walking two over that span. |
|
| Apr 12 2021 | Kopech struck out three over 2.1 scoreless innings in Sunday's extra-inning loss to the Royals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech breezed through Kansas City's batters, retiring seven straight on 26 pitches. He's handled the transition to relief with aplomb, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out 11 and retiring 19 of 22 batters faced over 6.1 innings. The right-hander's made three appearances, all spaced out and allowing rest to handle the rigors of multiple innings. Kopech's thrown no fewer than two innings each of his three outings. |
|
| Apr 3 2021 | Kopech (1-0) walked one and struck out three over two-plus scoreless innings to pick up the win over the Angels on Friday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It looked like this would be Matt Foster's win after he finished up the fifth inning for starter Dallas Keuchel, but he allowed two inherited runners to score, albeit on a three-base error by right fielder Adam Eaton. So, the win went to Kopech, who entered in the sixth inning and made his first regular-season appearance since Sept. 5, 2018. He pitched two perfect innings before walking Mike Trout to lead off the eighth inning. The right-hander threw 33 pitches (21 strikes) and maxed out at 99.4 MPH. |
|
| Mar 23 2021 | Kopech allowed two hits and struck out two over 1.1 innings in Monday's spring game against the Giants. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech entered the game in relief of Lucas Giolito and stranded the two runners he inherited to end the fifth inning. He followed that up with a bases-loaded strikeout (looking) to end the sixth. The right-hander, who has allowed one run and struck out seven over 5.1 spring innings, will serve as a reliever to start the 2021 season. |
|
| Mar 16 2021 | Kopech (calf) allowed a hit, hit a batter and struck out two in one scoreless inning against the Cubs on Monday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech had his most recently scheduled outing delayed due to tightness in his calf. His fastball hit 100 mph and sat in the high 90s Monday, but it was the right-hander's slider that induced the two punchouts, per Scott Merkin of MLB.com. "I felt comfortable attacking the zone with my secondary pitches, which is something I've really been working on," Kopech said. "Coming out of the bullpen, getting loose that way, I'm starting to -- I wouldn't say get used to it, but get a feel for it." Kopech will be used out of the bullpen initially but could emerge in the rotation later in the season. |
|
| Mar 13 2021 | Kopech (calf) is expected to pitch during Monday's Cactus League matchup against the Cubs, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech experienced calf tightness Friday and threw a side session rather than pitching in the spring game against the Rangers. Manager Tony La Russa said that the right-hander didn't experience any calf issues Saturday, and he'll return to Cactus League action Monday as a result. |
|
| Mar 12 2021 | Kopech threw a side session Friday rather than pitching in the spring game against the Rangers after experiencing calf tightness, James Fegan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The fact the 24-year-old still had a throwing session indicates the calf issue is minor, though it's still somewhat worrying to have an injury crop up so close to Opening Day. Kopech should be considered day-to-day until he's able to return to game action. |
|
| Mar 9 2021 | Kopech struck out one over a scoreless inning in Tuesday's spring game against San Diego. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech made his first appearance in a game in nearly a year, March 10 of 2020. Seven of his nine pitches were for strikes, and his fastball clocked in between 97 and 99 MPH, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. The flame-throwing prospect will pitch out of the bullpen to start the season, but he could eventually move into the rotation. |
|
| Mar 6 2021 | Kopech will be used in a multi-inning relief role to start the season, James Fegan of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech has long been thought to have some relief risk, as fireballers with shaky command often wind up in the bullpen, especially if they have a history of injuries. He'll pitch in a relief role to start the year, but that appears to be primarily a way of managing his innings after Tommy John surgery cost him all of 2019 and an opt out took away his 2020 season. The fact that he'll be used in a multi-inning role seemingly indicates that the White Sox want him to be ready to start games at some point down the line this year, though a clear plan has not yet been provided by the team. Given his potential strikeout prowess, Kopech could still provide a fair amount of fantasy value in a multi-inning relief role. |
|
| Feb 26 2021 | Kopech will begin the year in the bullpen, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech's profile is the sort that always carries with it a bit of relief risk, as he has big stuff but shaky command and a history of injuries. That doesn't appear to be what's happening here, though, as the move can be easily explained as an effort to manage the young righty's innings. He hasn't pitched in a game in over two years, as he missed 2019 while recovering from Tommy John surgery before opting out of the 2020 season. He was never going to be able to last the full year in the rotation, so the White Sox will simply start him in the pen rather than moving him there over the summer. He could still provide a bit of fantasy value as a reliever, but his value will ultimately be determined in large part by when he gets the chance to start, and the White Sox have yet to make clear when that will happen. Carlos Rodon looks like the favorite to win the fifth starter job with Kopech out of the picture. |
|
| Feb 21 2021 | White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said Kopech could be used as a reliever, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech opted to sit out the 2020 season and hasn't thrown in a game since a one-inning stint in spring training last March, just before MLB was shut down. Prior to that, he missed several months following Tommy John elbow surgery in 2018. As such, Hahn, who describes Kopech as a long-term starter, mentioned the possibility of a bullpen role as a way to manage his innings and preserve him for a September/October run. The White Sox have no shortage of rotation candidates, so it's not vital for Kopech to work as a starter from the get-go in 2021. |
|
| Feb 14 2021 | The White Sox plan to have Kopech compete for a spot in the big-league rotation during spring training, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech hasn't pitched for the White Sox since Sept. 5, 2018, as he spent the entire 2019 rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, then opted out of the 2020 season for personal reasons. White Sox general manager Rick Hahn confirmed in the fall that Kopech was ready to resume his career this spring, and the White Sox seemingly have big plans for the 24-year-old, who is still regarded as one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. Morosi notes that Kopech will be subject to an innings limit in 2021, but if the right-hander is able to quickly rediscover his pre-surgery form, he could be a premium source for strikeouts on a per-start basis. |
|
| Oct 12 2020 | General manager Rick Hahn said Monday that Kopech, who opted out of the 2020 season, has remained in touch with his minor-league pitching coaches and is "fully invested and committed" to rejoining the team in spring training, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Aside from some Cactus League outings this past spring, Kopech hasn't made a regular-season appearance in affiliated ball since September 2018. He was sidelined for all of 2019 while on the mend from Tommy John surgery before informing the White Sox in July that he would sit out the 2020 campaign amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The lack of action over the past two years means the 24-year-old won't be a lock to crack the White Sox's Opening Day rotation in 2021, but if he's able to regain his pre-surgery velocity and command, Kopech likely won't have to wait long to get another look with the big club. Chicago is expected to formally reinstate Kopech from the restricted list and add him back to the 40-man roster at some point later in the offseason. |
|
| Jul 22 2020 | The White Sox placed Kopech (personal) on the restricted list July 10. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The transaction was just a procedural move after Kopech confirmed earlier that day that he would opt out of the 2020 season. While at home for the next several months, Kopech will complete his rehab from his September 2018 Tommy John surgery before reporting to spring training at full health in 2021 with an eye on claiming a rotation spot. |
|
| Jul 10 2020 | Kopech (personal) opted out of playing during the 2020 season Friday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech underwent Tommy John surgery in September of 2018 and had fully recovered, but he'll elect not to play in 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. General manager Rick Hahn emphasized the team's support of the right-hander's decision. "We will work with Michael to assure his development continues throughout 2020, and we look forward to welcoming him back into our clubhouse for the 2021 season," Hahn said. |
|
| Jul 3 2020 | White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said he has no timeline for Kopech's return from a personal matter, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: To alleviate any concern, the general manager stressed that Kopech, who is returning from Tommy John elbow surgery, is healthy. ''I do not have a timeline for his return, and given the personal nature of the matter he's tending to, I won't provide updates until we know the actual plan for Michael going forward,'' Hahn said. Van Schouwen added that the absence has the look of something that could keep Kopech away for a while. |
|
| Jun 29 2020 | The White Sox announced Monday that Kopech (elbow) will be included as part of the team's 60-man roster pool. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Chicago has yet to decide on Kopech's role entering the restarted season all of 2019 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but his inclusion in the roster pool at least officially makes him an option for the Pale Hose. Though Kopech was initially expected to be sidelined until late May or early June while recovering from surgery, he may be close to 100 percent health in the wake of baseball's four-month hiatus. The extended break should also allow Carlos Rodon (elbow) to be nearly ready to go when the season begins, which could provide the White Sox with more reason to exercise caution with Kopech's usage coming off injury. If that's the case, Kopech may make the most sense for the White Sox as a multi-inning reliever or opening pitcher rather than a traditional starter. |
|
| Jun 25 2020 | Kopech (elbow) is expected to be with the White Sox when the MLB season resumes, but his role is not yet defined, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: In a normal 162-game season, Kopech would have thrown innings in the minors and joined the White Sox by now. He was impressive during a one-inning stint in spring training, when six of his pitches hit 100 MPH. The White Sox already have five starters lined up for the rotation, but they will want to give Kopech the necessary work to continue his trajectory toward becoming an ace. That means the right-hander could be used as an opener or paired with other starters that are not ready to pitch deep into games. |
|
| Mar 11 2020 | Kopech threw a perfect inning in Tuesday's spring game against the Rangers, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This was Kopech's first appearance in a competitive environment since late 2018, when he underwent Tommy John elbow surgery. He was amped up for the outing as six of his 11 pitches registered triple digits on the radar gun. One scout on hand said the right-hander was impressive and noted the sharpness of the breaking stuff. With his highly anticipated return out of the way, Kopech can turn toward ramping up his pitches and innings in preparation for an eventual return to Chicago's rotation. May or June is the best estimate for when he will be ready to toe the rubber for the White Sox. |
|
| Mar 8 2020 | Kopech (elbow) will start Tuesday's game against the Rangers, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This will mark Kopech's first game pitched since Sept. 5, 2018, against the Tigers. A day later, he was diagnosed with a torn right ulnar collateral ligament and underwent Tommy John surgery soon thereafter. The right-hander has thrown bullpen sessions and batting practice on backfields this spring, featuring his upper 90s fastball. Kopech intends to make three spring starts but won't break camp with the team. He's targeting a May or June return to the White Sox. |
|
| Feb 28 2020 | Kopech (elbow) threw a live batting practice session Friday, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech has reportedly been impressing throughout camp as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery, a procedure he underwent back in September of 2018. It looks as though he'll be ready for game action at the start of the regular season, though the young righty has said that he expects that action to come in the minors. |
|
| Feb 12 2020 | Kopech (elbow) threw a side session Wednesday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Kopech is returning from Tommy John surgery and, as such, the White Sox will have his innings total closely monitored in 2020. The right-hander is expected to begin the season at Triple-A Charlotte. |
|
| Jan 23 2020 | Kopech (elbow) assumes he'll be starting the season at Triple-A Charlotte, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: ''I assume that's kind of what everyone is thinking, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't probably thinking the same thing,'' Kopech said. ''But I'm still going to give myself that chance [to make the big-league rotation] if it presents itself." Kopech, who underwent Tommy John elbow surgery in September of 2018, was able to throw a couple of Instructional League games toward the end of 2019, but the White Sox are unlikely to push him. Chicago currently has a legitimate five-man rotation of Lucas Giolito, Dallas Keuchel, Reynaldo Lopez, Dylan Cease and Gio Gonzalez to open the regular season. |
|
| Nov 17 2019 | Kopech (elbow) is fully healthy and will enter spring training without restrictions, David Laurila of FanGraphs reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He logged a couple innings in the instructional league, which completed his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery. While Kopech will be handled carefully in 2020, he will ramp up in spring training like any other healthy pitcher. |
|
| Oct 31 2019 | Kopech (elbow) was reinstated from the 60-day injured list Thursday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After undergoing Tommy John surgery in September of 2018, the right-hander is expected to have a normal offseason and no restrictions in spring training. Prior to the surgery, Kopech recorded a 5.02 ERA with a 15:2 K:BB over 14.1 innings pitched for the White Sox in 2018. |
|
| Aug 23 2019 | Kopech (elbow) will have a normal offseason and will enter spring training with | no restrictions, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. |
|
| Aug 21 2019 | Kopech (elbow) said on a White Sox broadcast that he will throw live batting practice | before the end of the season, Clinton Cole of Future Sox reports. |
|
| Jul 15 2018 | Kopech allowed one run on four hits and one walk while striking out 11 over six innings for Triple-A Charlotte in Saturday's win over Durham. | Kopech was in command from the start, a rarity for the flame-throwing right-hander. Seventy of his 96 pitches were in the zone and the one walk matched a season low. He's been up and down all season, but has three quality starts in his last four outings. Charlotte pitching coach Steve McCatty told Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune that Kopech didn't overthrow, which helped keep him in the zone. "When you're trying to throw 100 all the time, other things get out of whack," McCatty said. Kopech's fastball lived in the 95-97 mph range and topped out at 99. |
|
| Jul 7 2018 | Kopech allowed four runs on three hits, four walks and a hit batsman while striking out six over three innings for Triple-A Charlotte on Thursday. | Just when it seems Kopech is poised to go on a run, he takes a step backwards. He had given up one earned run over his last two starts while pitching six innings in each, but ran into the same command problems Thursday that have bogged him down all season. Kopech leads the International League in strikeouts (111), but that's tempered by his league-high 56 walks and 11 hit batsmen over 82.1 innings. |
|
| Jul 1 2018 | Kopech allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits and four walks while striking out eight for Triple-A Charlotte on Saturday. | Getting deep into games has been problematic for Kopech, so seeing him throw six innings for the second straight game is an encouraging sign. However, the right-hander continued to wrestle with command, throwing just 54 of his 97 pitches for strikes while hitting a batter. He leads the International League with 105 strikeouts while also topping the circuit in walks (52) and hit batsmen (10) over 79.1 innings. |
|
| Jun 27 2018 | Kopech allowed four hits and walked two while striking out nine over six scoreless innings for Triple-A Charlotte on Monday. | There were several hopeful signs in Monday's outing. Kopech threw strikes on 66.3 percent of his pitches (63-of-95), the highest percentage of strikes thrown in seven starts. His two free passes were a five-start low, and he went six innings for just the seventh time in 15 starts. The problem for Kopech has been putting together a sustained stretch of hopeful outings. He entered Monday having walked 21 over his last four starts, spanning 16 innings, so the wildness could return his next time out. The White Sox are waiting to see a sustained stretch without any hiccups before they consider promoting him to Chicago. Despite the inconsistency, White Sox director of player development Chris Getz remains confident. "Listen, he's going to find his way to the big leagues," Getz told Scot Gregor of the DeKalb Daily Chronicle. "He's going to be an impact frontline-type starter. I'm very confident in that. Just like a lot of great players, sometimes it's a meandering path. And to say that he's gone off track is not fair, because it's only been a couple of outings. I think he's in a really good spot." |
|
| Jun 21 2018 | Kopech (3-5) allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits and four walks while striking out six, earning the win for Triple-A Charlotte on Wednesday. | It was another night of wresting command for the right-handed Kopech, who threw just 49 of his 89 pitches for strikes, although he fared much better than his last time out when he allowed five runs and walked eight over three innings. The right-hander's walked at least four batters in each of the last four games, pitching into the sixth inning just once during that stretch, and allowed 6.2 BB/9 overall. Kopech's strikeouts are as advertised, fanning 11.8 per nine innings, but the organization anticipated something better than a 5.08 ERA. As such, Kopech was not among a flurry of promotions the team announced Thursday. |
|
| Jun 16 2018 | Kopech allowed five runs on two hits and a season-high eight walks for Triple-A Charlotte on Thursday. | Kopech threw just 35 of his 86 pitches for strikes and hit two batters in another reminder that the right-hander is not quite ready for the majors. "I'm sure the coaching staff down there is trying to help him through this particular difficulty, so to speak. But it's not unusual. It's not abnormal. It happens to guys, and hopefully he'll be back on track and continue to show some of the things we all expect he's going to become, which is a pretty talented and effective pitcher," manager Rick Renteria told Tom Musick of the Chicago Sun-Times. Kopech has walked 33 batters over his last 35 innings (8.5 BB/9). |
|
| Jun 9 2018 | Kopech allowed two runs on five hits and five walks while striking out 10 for Triple-A Charlotte on Friday. | Kopech continues a career-long to battle with command. Over his last seven games, he's walked 25 in 32 innings. The electric fastball gets all the headlines -- he' struck out 45 during that seven-game run -- but until he learns to command it consistently, the White Sox will not be in a rush to bring him up to Chicago. |
|
| Jun 3 2018 | Kopech allowed seven runs on five hits and four walks while striking out two over two innings for Triple-A Charlotte on Saturday. | Kopech served up another reminder why the White Sox are holding him back at Triple-A. Just 23 of his 53 pitches went for strikes, and he walked four batters for the fourth time in the last six starts -- he's gifted 20 free passes over his last 26 innings. Control has been his bane and rears itself often enough to label him inconsistent and warrants patience on the part of the organization. |
|
| May 29 2018 | Kopech allowed two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out seven to earn his second win of the season for Triple-A Charlotte on Monday. | Kopech notched his fifth quality start of the season and second in the last three starts. Getting deep into games consistently remains elusive for the right-hander, whose control issues and high volume of strikeouts build up his pitch count early in games. He's pitched fewer than six innings in five out of 10 starts. The White Sox are not going to rush him and can give him another six weeks worth of starts to hone his control and get deep more consistently. |
|
| May 19 2018 | Kopech (1-2) allowed two hits and two walks while striking out nine over seven scoreless innings for Triple-A Charlotte on Friday. | Kopech earned his first win of the season while throwing a season-high number of pitches (102) and innings. He halted a two-start slide in which he failed to pitch four innings and walked eight batters over 6.1 innings. If much of life is about timing, then Kopech picked a great time to have his best outing of the season. The White Sox demoted starter Carson Fulmer to Charlotte after Friday's game and are in need of a fifth starter. |
|
| May 7 2018 | Kopech allowed two runs on one hit and four walks while striking out three for Triple-A Charlotte on Sunday. | This was Kopech's shortest outing of the season and a reminder he still has work to do before a promotion to the majors is warranted. Just 34 of his 66 pitches were in the zone, and he hit two batters. Command has been a recurring theme for Kopech throughout his career, but he's managed to keep his walks and HBP down this season until Sunday. |
|
| May 2 2018 | White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said Kopech is not yet ready for a promotion to the majors, Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reports. | Kopech, who was named the organization's Pitcher of the Month for April, made his fifth start at Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks while striking out six. Command was one area of focus for Kopech, who has dropped his walk rate to a serviceable 3.0 BB/9, but Hahn wants to see the young right-hander incorporate more changeups. In his previous start, Kopech threw just seven changeups, one for a strike. The GM also mentioned a less measurable skill -- mound composure -- as an area of improvement. "He's making progress in both those areas," Hahn said. "We want to see more effective use of the changeup in the coming starts as well as ideally going deeper in ballgames over the next several and we'll continue evaluating." So, while the fans are anticipating Kopech's arrival, the decision makers remain patient. All the while, the White Sox's rotation needs to perform better. After Tuesday's loss to the Indians, Chicago's starters are 4-13 with a 5.27 ERA (27th in MLB). |
|
| Apr 25 2018 | Kopech allowed allowed one run on one hit and two walks Wednesday for Triple-A Charlotte, striking out eight batters in six innings. | The start brings Kopech's ERA down to 2.14 on the season. He's struck out 29 batters in 21 innings, walking seven. The young flamethrower certainly seems to be major-league ready, though with the White Sox starting the season 5-15, they have little reason to rush him. The deadline to secure an extra year of team control has already passed, but the team could still elect to wait until after the Super Two deadline (sometime in late May or early June) in order to save money. |
|
| Apr 21 2018 | Kopech (0-1) allowed three runs on six hits and one walk while striking out a season-high 10 for Triple-A Charlotte on Friday. | Kopech made his third start of the season and upped his pitch count to 95 (59 for strikes). He was unable to pitch himself out of trouble and hurt by a hit batsman, a stolen base, a balk and a wild pitch. The right-hander has a 2.40 ERA with five walks and 21 strikeouts over 15 innings. That 3.0 BB/9 walk rate his particularly encouraging, a sign that his wavering command is improving. |
|
| Apr 15 2018 | Kopech allowed one run on five hits and two walks while striking out three over six innings for Triple-A Charlotte on Saturday. | Kopech usually puts up eye-popping strikeout numbers, but he took a different approach Saturday, inducing 11 groundball outs and leaving with a lead, which was blown by the Knights' bullpen. He's allowed just one run on seven hits over 10 innings thus far, but we're tracking his progress in the number of walks he allows. Four walks over 10 innings is good, but we'd like to see that number tick downward. |
|
| Apr 9 2018 | Kopech allowed two hits and two walks while striking out eight over four scoreless innings for Triple-A Charlotte on Monday. | Kopech, the organization's top pitching prospect, made his seasonal debut for the Knights and his fourth overall start at the Triple-A level. The flame-throwing right-hander is generating much excitement in Chicago and figures to reach the Windy City before the end of the season, though nothing is guaranteed. The White Sox will be careful not rush Kopech, who has some refining to do, particularly in the area of developing a consistent changeup as his third pitch. |
|
| Mar 21 2018 | Kopech, who was reassigned to minor-league camp Tuesday, needs to continue to develop his changeup, Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune reports. | Kopech's final two appearance in major-league camp didn't go so well -- 12 runs (nine earned) in 2.2 innings -- but there were signs early on that he's getting a feel for the changeup. He also needs to clean up his command. If the organization sees improvement in both the changeup and command at Triple-A Charlotte, Kopech could be up with Chicago at some point in mid-May, which would delay his service-time clock and limit the number of innings he throws in the chilly Midwestern spring. |
|
| Mar 20 2018 | Kopech was reassigned to minor-league camp Tuesday. | Kopech has a 11.57 ERA in seven innings this spring, striking out seven and walking seven. He almost certainly would have begun the year in the minors regardless of his spring performance, however, and not just for service-time reasons. The 21-year-old flamethrower has appeared in just three games at the Triple-A level and has walked 4.5 batters per nine innings in his minor-league career. He could be in the big-league rotation for the bulk of the season if his control satisfies the White Sox in his first handful of starts for Triple-A Charlotte. |
|
| Mar 6 2018 | Kopech will not be opening the season on the major-league roster, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. | This was always the expectation, but now it's confirmed by general manager Rick Hahn. Kopech is a live arm and an exciting pitching prospect but has pitched just 15 innings at the Triple-A level, so he won't be held down for purely service-time reasons. Assuming he keeps blowing away minor-league hitters, though, expect him up in the big-league rotation at some point early in the 2018 season. |
|
| Mar 4 2018 | Kopech allowed one unearned run on two hits and a walk while striking out three over 2.1 innings in Saturday's game against the Royals. | Kopech showed some escapability in his second spring outing, stranding runners at third in each of the first two innings. He wasn't pinpoint with his control Saturday, but has submitted respectable numbers thus far, having allowed just one walk while striking out five over 4.1 innings. Kopech will start the season at Triple-A Charlotte, where his marching orders are to develop his changeup as a viable pitch and command of his fastball. If he's able to do that with the Knights, Kopech should pitch for the White Sox at some point this season. |
|
| Feb 26 2018 | Kopech allowed two hits and struck out three batters over two scoreless innings in Monday's game against the Athletics. | The most important part of the day was no walks and getting his secondary pitches over for strikes, an area of focus for Kopech this spring. "I got behind in the count a couple of times and it gave me an opportunity to really work on my changeup and off-speed pitches," the 21-year-old told Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune. "I think 2-0 I threw a changeup three times and it helped me really focus on staying behind it and getting a strike with the pitch." It was a strong performance out of the gate for Kopech, who is expected to start the season at Triple-A Charlotte. If he finds a comfort level and consistency with the changeup -- a third pitch along with his fastball and slider -- it's very likely he'll get a callup to Chicago later in the season. |
|
| Feb 22 2018 | Kopech will make his first Cactus League start Monday against the Athletics, Richard Justice of MLB.com reports. | As the White Sox's second-ranked prospect, per RotoWire, Kopech will garner much interest during spring training. The right-hander made significant progress in 2017, improving his walk rate, which had dogged Kopech since he was drafted by the Red Sox in 2014. The 21-year-old is not expected to break camp with the big-league club, however, he could make his MLB debut later this season. |
|
| Jan 22 2018 | Kopech has been invited to the White Sox's major-league camp this spring, James Fegan of The Athletic Chicago reports. | While Kopech isn't expected to break camp with the White Sox, the team will see how its top pitching prospect fares against major-league competition in anticipation of a potential late-season callup in 2018. The 21-year-old flamethrower finished the 2017 campaign with a 2.88 ERA and 172:65 K:BB across 25 starts between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte. He's expected to return to Charlotte to start the upcoming season, but if he picks up where he left off in the second half of 2017 (1.29 ERA, 71:12 K:BB in 56 innings), there's a good chance he'll make his major-league debut sometime in the latter half of 2018. |
|
| Jan 16 2018 | Kopech is not expected to break spring training in the White Sox's starting rotation, but could reach Chicago at some point in 2018, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports. "I'm anxious for him to get there and stay there," White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper said. "I'm anxious to see the continued work we will put into Spring Training but also the continued work he will get to continue to improve, because for a lot of these guys, not only Kopech, their time is coming." | Kopech reached Triple-A Charlotte last season, increasing his inning count to 134.1. The right-hander with the legendary fastball improved his command, a bugaboo since he was drafted by Boston in 2014, dropping his BB/9 from 6.00 during the first half to 2.71 in the second half. If he continues on the same path that he finished up last season, we could see Kopech at in the second half. That's the same path followed by fellow prospect Reynaldo Lopez, who made eight starts in the majors after 22 (121.0 IP) at Charlotte. |
|
| Aug 9 2017 | Kopech, 21, has a 39:3 K:BB over his last 28 innings for Double-A Birmingham. | During that time period, a span of four starts, Kopech has allowed just two earned runs. He leads the Southern League in strikeouts, and his control has been vastly improved of late. Kopech is making a push to be considered the top pitching prospect in baseball heading into the 2018 campaign. |
|
| Jun 30 2017 | Kopech has been selected to participate in the All-Star Futures Game as part of the festivities leading up the All-Star Game. | Kopech has struggled to give Double-A Birmingham length this season, having completed six innings just five times in 15 starts and once over his last seven outings. He's walked 49 batters over 75 innings while averaging just five innings per start, but the electric fastball and high-strikeout numbers (11.6 K/9) make him a top prospect in baseball. The right-hander needs to clean up his control or he'll be headed to the bullpen. |
|
| Jun 2 2017 | Kopech won the White Sox minor-league pitcher of the month award for May, Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago reports. | Kopech, who fanned 10 over 5.2 innings for Double-A Birmingham on Wednesday, finished the month 3-1 with a 2.31 ERA and 47 strikeouts over 35 innings. The 21-year-old right-hander with the legendary fastball initially struggled with control, throwing strikes on just 57 percent of his pitches with an 8.2 BB/9 through the first three starts, but has improved to 64 percent and 4.7 over his most recent seven starts. That means he's getting deeper into games and developing on a quicker schedule. |
|
