From the worst team of the modern era to the NLCS. That’s where former White Sox reliever Michael Kopech finds himself after playing a key role in game 5 of the NLDS.
Kopech, who was traded to the Dodgers as part of a three-team deal in July, entered in the eighth inning with a 2-0 lead. The flamethrower got Xander Bogaerts to line out and David Peralta to pop out before striking out Jake Cronenworth with some high heat.
An emphatic Kopech needed only nine pitches in the inning, eight of which were strikes. Oh, and his fastball topped out at 101.6 mph to essentially give Croneworth no chance. It was the clearest vision of the pitcher that White Sox fans have seen glimpses of and expected to watch regularly on our own postseason runs.
Since joining the Dodgers, Kopech has gone 4-0 with a 1.13 ERA, 2.54 FIP, and 0.792 WHIP in 24 regular season appearances. Things finally started to click right as the White Sox traded him away, leading many to remember the right-hander for a first half where excellent strikeout numbers yet dismal walk and homer numbers yielded a slightly subpar 4.74 ERA and 1.351 WHIP. Kopech has looked dominant in Los Angeles and more importantly, rejuvenated with his passion for winning once again at the forefront.
“All I have wanted in my whole career is to win,” Kopech said, his long hair and beard drenched as champagne flew all around him in during the postgame clubhouse celebration last Thursday night. “I have had a chance to do that a couple of times but not in the way this team has done it, not with these type of guys, not with this type of talent, not with this type of (coaching) staff just supporting me from Day 1.”
The Dodgers indeed won 2-0 on Friday night, taking the best of five series from the Padres. They will play the Mets with a World Series berth on the line.
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Featured Photo: © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
