Kopech didn't allow a baserunner across three scoreless innings while striking out one in Cactus League action Sunday against the Angels.
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.
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White Sox's Michael Kopech: Increasing changeup usage
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Kopech is planning to throw his changeup more in 2023, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.
Kopech has reportedly been working on his changeup this offseason and is hoping the pitch helps boost the effectiveness of the rest of his arsenal, which already includes a fastball, a slider and a curveball. According to Baseball Savant, Kopech threw his changeup only 25 times in 2022 -- primarily using it against left-handed batters.
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White Sox's Michael Kopech: No lingering issues
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White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said Thursday that Kopech (knee) doesn't have any lingering issues this spring, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.
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.
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White Sox's Michael Kopech: Avoids arbitration
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Kopech (knee) signed a one-year contract with the White Sox on Friday to avoid arbitration, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.
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.
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White Sox's Michael Kopech: Rehab more gradual than anticipated
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Pitching coach Ethan Katz said Thursday that Kopech's (knee) rehab process has been more gradual than expected, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.
Kopech 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.
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White Sox's Michael Kopech: Undergoes knee surgery
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Kopech (shoulder) underwent surgery on his right knee Thursday, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.
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.
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White Sox's Michael Kopech: Likely done for season
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Interim manager Miguel Cairo said Kopech (shoulder) likely won't pitch again this season, Vinnie Duber of AllCHGO.com reports.
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.
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White Sox's Michael Kopech: Bounces back for fifth win
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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.
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.
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White Sox's Michael Kopech: Gets bopped in Seattle
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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.
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
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White Sox's Michael Kopech: Officially activated Wednesday
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Kopech (knee) was reinstated from the 15-day injured list ahead of Wednesday's start against the Mariners.
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.
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White Sox's Michael Kopech: Likely to start Wednesday
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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.
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.
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White Sox's Michael Kopech: Completes another bullpen session
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Kopech (knee) threw a bullpen session Sunday, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.
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.
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White Sox's Michael Kopech: Throws bullpen Friday
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Kopech (knee) threw a bullpen session Friday, James Fegan of The Athletic reports.
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.
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White Sox's Michael Kopech: Goes on IL with knee strain
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The White Sox placed Kopech on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a left knee strain.
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.
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White Sox's Michael Kopech: Dealing with hamstring issue
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Kopech was removed from Monday's start against the Royals due to a hamstring injury, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
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.
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White Sox's Michael Kopech: Tending to sore left knee
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The White Sox announced that Kopech was removed in the first inning of his start Monday against the Royals with a sore left knee.
Kopech looked to be managing the injury during pregame warmups, as he was checked out by a trainer prior to opening pitch before getting the green light to make the start. In hindsight, the White Sox may have preferred to scratch Kopech, who showed diminished velocity and allowed all four hitters he faced to reach base before being lifted with the bases loaded after throwing 19 pitches. With reliever Jimmy Lambert allowing all three baserunners to score, Kopech was charged with four earned runs on one hit, two walks and a hit batsman. He'll be evaluated in the coming days before the White Sox determine if he's ready to make his next start, which is set to come Saturday at home versus the Diamondbacks.
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White Sox's Michael Kopech: Start cut short by apparent injury
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Kopech was lifted midway through the first inning of his start Monday against the Royals due to an apparent injury he suffered while warming up prior to the game, Vinnie Duber of AllCHGO.com reports.
Kopech failed to retire a batter in the 19-pitch outing, throwing only nine pitches for strikes while allowing four earned runs on one hit, two walks and a hit batsman. Official word on what prompted Kopech's early exit may not come until after the game, but the right-hander looked to be in some discomfort while warming up and was visited by a trainer on the mound before he ultimately tried to give it a go. In addition to his velocity being down during his brief start, Kopech struggled mightily to locate his pitches before manager Tony La Russa pulled him from the contest.
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White Sox's Michael Kopech: Notches quality start, takes loss
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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.
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.
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White Sox's Michael Kopech: Fans 11 in dominant outing
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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.
Kopech was untouchable Friday but 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.
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White Sox's Michael Kopech: Gives up four in loss
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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.
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.
