GLENDALE, Ariz. — White Sox manager Pedro Grifol isn’t committing a starting pitcher’s role to Michael Kopech just yet, even though the rotation is filled with a variety of uncertainties.
Kopech has been one himself, coming off a year in which he had a 5.43 ERA as a starter. And while Grifol has raved about Kopech’s stuff and conditioning this spring, a job doesn’t appear to be a given.
And Kopech seems to know it.
“It’s just too early for that,” Grifol said when asked Wednesday if Kopech was more or less set as a starter. “But, yeah, he’s getting built up to be one of our starters. But, again, I know we want to talk about it, but I think in about another week we’ll talk about it. Right now, everybody is just competing. We’re building him up.”
And that was before Kopech pitched 2„ innings of three-run ball against Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and company Wednesday in a 12-9 Cactus League loss to the Dodgers in which he walked three, threw a wild pitch and allowed two hits.
Grifol said he’d be looking for improvement from Kopech’s first start, in which he tossed two innings of scoreless ball against the Cubs with five strikeouts but opened it by hitting a batter and walking one.
“Adjustment. Feel. Command,” Grifol said of what he would be looking for Wednesday. “Just the little things that we need to see that tell us that we’re heading in the right direction.”
Kopech called his outing against the Dodgers “good” but knows he has to throw more strikes. He struck out three, giving him eight whiffs in 4„ spring innings.
“It’s hard to say I figure it one way or another,” he said when asked if he expects to be in the rotation that likely will include Dylan Cease, Erick Fedde, Michael Soroka and perhaps Chris Flexen, although Grifol hasn’t sealed Flexen in the group just yet, either. Garrett Crochet is a possibility, as well, although maybe not right away.
“I’ve done both roles,” Kopech said. “I’ve enjoyed doing both. I’d like that, stretching out and being part of this rotation, but I want to be part of the team however I fit in.”
As for his showing against the Dodgers, Kopech said he wanted to be more “refined.”
“But it’s still early; go out there and try to attack with strikes instead of feel like I’m kind of falling behind, fighting myself,” he said. “Good lineup, and it shows what can happen when you don’t get ahead. A good learning experience.
“I wanted to be able to throw all my pitches for strikes. I did that with everything other than the cutter. The slider ended up backing up a couple of times, but I still threw some good ones. Landed some curveballs. Fastball was a little inconsistent, and that’s going to be a big part of my game, fastball command. Other than that, I was pretty comfortable with what I did. But I’ve got to throw more strikes.”
Brebbia to throw first bullpen
John Brebbia, slated to throw his first bullpen session Thursday since he strained his right calf during live batting practice, said he has progressed each day to where “I do a little bit more.”
As for how many game appearances he’d need to make to be ready for Opening Day, Brebbia said he wasn’t sure. He has thrown each day since the injury, even while wearing a boot.
Dodgers 12, Sox 9
There’s no Sox hitter having a better spring than Eloy Jimenez (12-for-22), who hit a long home run, his first, against Ryan Brasier and also singled Wednesday.
• There’s no pitcher having a worse spring than Touki Toussaint, who allowed three walks, five hits and seven runs in 1⅓ innings. Toussaint has walked eight batters and gotten five outs in two appearances.
• Dominic Fletcher had two hits, including a bunt single. Paul DeJong was 3-for-3 with a double and three RBI, and he also stole a base. DeJong (6-for-18, three extra-base hits) and Jimenez are co-leaders in the Cactus League with nine RBI each.
• The Sox stole three bases. They have 17 stolen bases this spring.
On deck
Brewers at Sox, 2:05 p.m. Thursday, Glendale, Aaron Ashby vs. Dylan Cease. Nick Nastrini starts a B game at the Reds.
