The White Sox delivered some promising news prior to their series finale in Seattle on Wednesday.
Right-handed starting pitcher and key rotation piece Michael Kopech has officially been activated from the 15-day IL. The young right-hander was diagnosed with a left knee strain, originally leaving his start prematurely against the Kansas City Royals on August 23rd. In a corresponding move, Matt Foster was sent back to AAA Charlotte.
Kopech was in visible discomfort during warmups before his last outing, enough so to force out manager Tony La Russa, pitching coach Ethan Katz, and a trainer before he even threw his first pitch. The staff still allowed Kopech to start as he faced just four batters, walking two of them and hitting another. His average fastball velocity checked in at 91.7 mph during the abbreviated outing, an alarmingly low number given his season norm usually touches the mid-to-upper 90s.
Kopech has been dealing with a nagging knee injury for some time this season. Back on June 12, he exited a game with inflammation in the same 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 would immediately return to the rotation after getting his knee drained, effectively avoiding the injured list.
The 26-year-old is currently 4-9 with a 3.58 ERA (44 ER/110.2 IP) and 98 strikeouts over 23 starts this season. Most notably, he’s cleared the 100-inning mark for the first time since 2018, when he threw 126.1 innings at the Triple-A level.
The former highly touted prospect returns to the rotation at an ideal time for the team. The Sox are currently in Seattle looking to grab a series win against one of the best teams in the American League. Sitting just three games back of the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central, the South Siders will need all hands on deck moving forward.
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Featured Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Great article