Chicago White Sox: Is it time for Michael Kopech to join rotation?
We all know that Michael Kopech is special. He has a nice mix of pitches that confuse hitters or just straight up beat them on a regular basis. It has been very fun to watch as he progresses. The Chicago White Sox have brought him back slowly which includes starting this season in the bullpen. He did, however, make his first start since 2018 on Sunday against the Boston Red Sox. It raises the question of when he will be in the rotation permanently.
The Chicago White Sox has a super weapon right now with Michael Kopech.
Kopech made the spot start in the second game of a doubleheader. Dallas Keuchel made the first start and they decided to use Lucas Giolito on Monday on an extra day of rest. Kopech’s pitch count is being watched this season which makes sense based on his history. With that said, he is looked at as a potential starter one day.
When is that day going to come? He might get the opportunity a few times this season. Right now, Lance Lynn is on the IL for ten days so he will miss one or two starts. They could use Kopech in that role for now. Once Lynn goes back, Kopech might get back to being a bullpen piece. It is going to be interesting to see how they handle it.
One thing that is for sure is that it would be smarter to start using Kopech as a starter instead of having “bullpen days”. It would also be smarter than using someone who isn’t as good as Reynaldo Lopez. This team is very good and they need to do whatever it takes to give themselves the best chance to win.
Kopech does that as of right now. He currently has a 1.69 ERA with a 0.658 WHIP and 17 strikeouts in 10.2 innings. The sample size is still pretty small but the numbers certainly look good. It is going to be fun to see how he progresses throughout the rest of this 2021 season.
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We don’t know what is going to happen with Lance Lynn or Carlos Rodon after this season but a permanent spot in the rotation may open up. Kopech is the first in line right now to snag that spot. The bullpen will take a hit when it does officially happen but it will be worth it. All White Sox fans should be so happy that he is a part of this team because his talent is truly special.