Michael Kopech ‘looks great and is excited to be back’ with White Sox, Lucas Giolito says

GLENDALE, Ariz. — For those of you wondering about right-hander Michael Kopech, who is not in the White Sox’ rotation plans for April but could be by midseason, ace Lucas Giolito says the 24-year-old right-hander “looks great.”

The highly touted Kopech, who wasn’t among the earliest arrivals at the Sox spring complex — he was spending time with his newborn son, River, and the baby’s mother, actress Vanessa Morgan, in recent days — missed the 2019 season because of Tommy John surgery and then opted out in 2020.

“He definitely missed baseball,” Giolito said. “He’s excited to be back. And the expectations are pretty high.”

Kopech opted out of last season for a variety of reasons, including concerns about a short ramp-up to the abbreviated 60-game season as well as personal matters. He filed for divorce from Morgan last June but has spent quality time with her and their son since the Jan. 29 birth.

“I talked to him on the phone in the winter, great conversation, just catching up, not too much baseball stuff,” Giolito said. “And I just saw him for the first time today at the facility. He looks great, body looks good, all that stuff’s checking off. I know that he’s been working very, very hard.”

When last seen, Kopech was touching 100 mph and throwing a plus slider in a perfect inning against the Rangers in a Cactus League game last March.

“He has some of the best stuff in the league,” Giolito said. “Unfortunately, last year we only got to see one inning of it, but it was a pretty electric inning.”

Because of the layoff, expectations are that Kopech won’t break camp with the team featuring Giolito, Dallas Keuchel and Lance Lynn at the top of a starting rotation with Dylan Cease, Carlos Rodon and Reynaldo Lopez pushing for the fourth and fifth spots this spring.

“He has to move at the right pace, can’t rush into it, can’t try too hard,” Giolito said. “Nothing good ever comes from that. I think [new pitching coach] Ethan [Katz] will definitely be pretty hands-on with him as far as his progression and where he needs to be. I have full confidence in his ability, and I’m looking forward to having him on the team soon.”

Watch it!

Six Cactus League games will be televised by NBC Sports Chicago, including the opener against the Brewers on Feb. 28 and the spring finale against the Diamondbacks on March 28.

Nine additional games will be livestreamed on Whitesox.com, including a matchup with the Cubs on March 15. New rights-holder ESPN 1000, featuring new play-by-play voice Len Kasper, will broadcast 10 games, including the opener.

Tickets for Cactus League games go on sale at 11 a.m. Feb. 20, with a socially distanced capacity of 2,400 (18% capacity) and tickets sold in pods of two, four and six seats. Tickets must be purchased at Whitesox.com, camelbackranch.com or by phone at 800-905-3315.