After missing the first week of Summer Camp due to an undisclosed personal matter, Michael Kopech’s absence will be more extended than previously thought.
The White Sox announced this evening that their top pitching prospect will not be playing at all during the 2020 season.
“Michael Kopech has informed us of his decision to not participate in the 2020 season,” White Sox General Manager Rick Hahn said. “We recognize that reaching this decision is incredibly difficult for any competitive athlete, and our organization is understanding and supportive. We will work with Michael to assure his development continues throughout 2020, and we look forward to welcoming him back into the clubhouse for the 2021 season.”
According to NBC Sports Chicago’s Vinnie Duber, the team said this decision by Kopech was made in relation to the ongoing matter. Like Hahn’s statement suggests, no specifics have emerged regarding the circumstances of this situation.
Kopech is coming off Tommy John surgery, and looked to be healthy at the start of Spring Training. In his lone appearance in Arizona, the 24-year-old had one strikeout over an inning of work and hit triple-digits with ease. Prior to his injury, the right-handed flamethrower struck out 15 with a 5.02 ERA and 1.535 WHIP over 14.1 innings pitched in his rookie 2018 season.
Any time you lose a pitcher with Kopech’s skillset, it’s obviously going to be a significant blow to the team. However, there are some things that are bigger than baseball and you have to respect the guy for doing what is in his best personal interest. From a team perspective, the White Sox still have a lot of depth and six solid options for the starting rotation in guys like Lucas Giolito, Carlos Rodon, Dallas Keuchel, Dylan Cease, Reynaldo Lopez, and Gio Gonzalez.
While I know many fans will find this news to be disappointing, I ask that everyone remains understanding of whatever it is Michael may be going through. I wish him all the best during these unprecedented times and hope to see him back at full strength come next spring.
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