Michael Kopech is excited about a ‘dream job’ of returning to the Chicago White Sox rotation
Michael Kopech worked two-plus scoreless relief innings, struck out three and earned the win in his 2021 season debut April 2 against the Los Angeles Angels.
The Chicago White Sox right-hander played an important role pitching largely out of the bullpen last season.
But the plan all along was for Kopech to return to the rotation — and that move is in motion this spring.
“It’s always been my dream job to be a starting pitcher,” Kopech said Thursday. “Obviously being a reliever in the big leagues is nothing to be upset about. I loved it last year. We have a great bullpen and a great starting staff. No complaints on my end.
“But being able to work my way back into the rotation hopefully, that’s what I want.”
Kopech, 25, went 4-3 with a 3.50 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 44 appearances (four starts) last season. He had a 3.90 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 55⅓ innings as a reliever and 1.93 ERA in his 14 innings as starter.
“For the most part, the biggest thing I took out of being in the bullpen is just being able to rise to the occasion or rise to the moment that you were called to be in,” he said. “In a starting routine, you start and you have time to work up to that moment. As a reliever, you’re thrown right into that moment. I think those big moments as a starter won’t come as such a shock to me now that I’ve had the chance to work out of the bullpen.”
Kopech took a lot away from the four spot starts he made last season.
“I was able to see myself be more of a complete pitcher,” he said. “I used all my pitches a bit more than I did in my stints in the bullpen. I think it kind of showed me how I can pitch to certain guys and how I can diversify my pitches. I’m looking forward to being able to do that for a complete season.”
Overall, Kopech had 69⅓ innings last season in his first action since 2018. He spent 2019 recovering from Tommy John surgery and opted out of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
“I want to throw as many (innings) as I can,” Kopech said of the plan for 2022. “I don’t know what that’s necessarily going to mean for the season, I’m sure they are going to try to be patient with me and limit me a little bit, but I’m going to go out there and aim for as many as anyone else.
“That’s my goal. Take the ball every fifth day and get as many starts as I can.”
Manager Tony La Russa said the Sox will apply “observational analytics” to see how far along Kopech is.
“You may pencil in a plan for him. But if he’s ahead, you move it ahead,” La Russa said Thursday. “If he’s behind, you let him catch up. You’ve just got to be really careful and look at what you see that time. And then you stick with your plan. But we’re going to err on the side of caution in terms of building up his pitches.”
Pitching coach Ethan Katz said Kopech has looked “good” in his bullpen sessions.
“He’s one of the guys we asked to do certain things and he’s worked on it,” Katz said Friday. “We’re just going to go outing to outing, inning to inning for him and monitor it that way and see how he’s doing, feedback in between outings.
“It’s kind of like Carlos (Rodón last season) in the sense that, kind of seeing where he’s at and kind of making the right assessment. And maybe it’s a skipped start at some point and somebody else hops in to give him a little breather. We’ll see how he’s doing.”
Kopech’s offseason was impacted after he tested positive for COVID-19 in late February, but he said he’s “at a good spot right now.”
And he’s ready to make the most of his spot in the rotation.
“I’m kind of built more for a starter,” Kopech said. “I’m more routine-based. Five days I can serve myself a lot of good preparing for the next one. I’m looking forward to that opportunity again.”
