The White Sox could be without one of their key starters for the remainder of the season.
Right-handed pitcher Michael Kopech has been placed on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. The club recalled Davis Martin from Triple-A Charlotte as the corresponding move and is expected to start him on Saturday night.
Kopech, 26, has battled through injuries for much of the season. It started back on June 12 when he exited a game with inflammation in his left knee and described feeling a “pop.” An MRI later confirmed that he had fluid buildup, but there was no structural damage to be concerned about. Kopech effectively avoided an IL stint and returned to the rotation after getting his knee drained. However, that same knee would flare up again and force him to exit an August 23 outing in Kansas City, putting him on the shelf for a couple of weeks shortly after.
Since being activated from his prior IL stint, Kopech has gone 1-0 with a 3.12 ERA (3 ER/8.2 IP) in two outings. From a broader perspective, the once highly touted prospect owns a 3.54 ERA (47 ER/119.1 IP), .198 (85-for-429) opponents average, .294 opponents on-base percentage and 105 strikeouts over 25 starts this season.
Given the timing of Kopech’s latest injury, it’s becoming increasingly likely that he will not pitch again during the regular season. The White Sox have just 17 games left on their schedule, with a better glimpse of their postseason fate coming towards the end of next week. Should things continue to play out poorly, it would be wise for the organization to shut him down until 2023. Hahn says the club will see how the right-hander responds to playing catch next week before making an official call.
Martin, 25, is 2-4 with a 4.09 ERA (20 ER/44.0 IP) and 30 strikeouts in 10 appearances (five starts) with the White Sox this season. He has worked 5.0-plus IP in seven of his 10 games, including four times as a starter. Martin is 3-5 with a 6.11 ERA (36 ER/53.0 IP) and 66 strikeouts in 13 starts with Charlotte.
This season, a total of 16 different players have been promoted to Chicago from Charlotte. In order of their first promotion to Chicago, those players are:
- INF Jake Burger (April 7 & May 24)
- RHP Matt Foster (April 7 & September 1)
- RHP Jimmy Lambert (April 12, June 2 & June 10)
- LHP Anderson Severino (April 12)
- OF Adam Haseley (April 20, June 19 & September 1)
- INF Danny Mendick (May 5 & May 28)
- RHP Johnny Cueto (May 16)
- RHP Kyle Crick (May 17, May 31 & June 4)
- RHP Davis Martin (May 17, June 3, June 14, July 12, July 23, July 29, August 9, August 27 & September 17)
- LHP Tanner Banks (May 26 & June 12)
- C Seby Zavala (June 12)
- 1B/OF Gavin Sheets (June 23)
- INF Lenyn Sosa (August 7)
- INF Romy Gonzalez (August 17)
- C Carlos Pérez (August 21)
- OF Mark Payton (September 2)
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Featured Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
