Michael Kopech could be wild card in White Sox bullpen

John Antonoff/For the Sun-Times

GLENDALE, Ariz. — There’s a wild card in the White Sox bullpen and it’s the guy who has known to be wild.

Michael Kopech, one-time top prospect and a face of a failed rebuild of days gone by, seems to be fitting in well in his new relief role since he was moved from the starting rotation during spring training.

When last seen in a Cactus League game, in his third appearance, Kopech struck out two batters in a perfect inning and touching 101 miles per hour. Hours before the Sox left camp for Chicago Monday, Kopech turned in another perfect inning in a camp scrimmage.

Pitching on the Charlotte side, Kopech struck out Gavin Sheets swinging and retired Nicky Lopez (flyout) and Braden Shewmake (groundout). He has pitched in relief before – 40 of 44 appearances to the tune of a 3.50 ERA in 2021 factored into a division championship.

In 2022, Kopech made 25 starts and posted a 3.50 ERA. Last year he walked 91 batters in 129 1/3 innings with a 5.43 ERA.

This season he came to camp wanting to start and was given the opportunity but command was a problem again.

There are needs in the bullpen as far as the very back end and Kopech can fill one. Who knows, finding his way with a team not expected to contend might be just the spot.

“It’s good,” Kopech said after his latest outing against the Mariners Saturday. “It’s still pitching. But that point in the game, the guys are probably a little more ready to swing. So, you come out there with your best, and for me it’s my fastball so I’m going out there throwing hard and it’s just a little bit more free and easy and not trying to be too fine in the zone right now. Just letting my stuff play and doing what I can with that.”

The Opening Day roster is not official, but with top fifth starter candidate Nick Nastrini not needed till the sixth game, the Sox seem headed to a nine-man bullpen of Kopech, John Brebbia, Jordan Leasure, Tanner Banks, Tim Hill, Dominic Leone, Deivi Garcia, Steven Wilson and Bryan Shaw to open the season. Sources have confirmed Leasure, Banks and Shaw are included, and the expectations and indications from inside the clubhouse point directly to the others.

Kopech said he doesn’t know when he’ll pitch. Manager Pedro Grifol has said he’ll manage the bullpen according to leverage situations. So it depends on what level of confidence he has that Kopech can come into a one-run game and throw strikes.

In any event, general manager Chris Getz has liked what he’s seen.

“We wanted to simplify things for Michael,” Getz said. “You look at navigating the front end of games and trying to cover innings as a starting pitcher, it can be a little bit taxing, and we feel like now that he can just focus on one or two innings. He can go out there and be the athlete that he is. I look forward to see how that plays out.”

Where it shakes out could be in a high leverage spot in the sixth, seventh or eighth inning, or it could present itself in a save situation. Asked about closing, Kopech said “it could be.”

“I’m not really sure that’s where they want me and that’s where it will play,” he said. “It’s hard to get an idea of that in spring. I’ve thrown the fourth, fifth and sixth so I don’t know when it falls. But whenever it does, I’ll be ready.”