Michael Kopech could be wild card in White Sox' bullpen

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

One-time prospect Michael Kopech, the face of a failed rebuild of days gone by, is adapting to his new relief role since he was moved from the rotation during spring training.

When last seen in a Cactus League game, his third appearance of the spring, Kopech struck out two batters in a perfect inning and touched 101 mph — his third straight smooth relief outing without giving up a run. Hours before the Sox left camp for Chicago on Monday, he turned in another perfect inning in a camp scrimmage.

“Right now he’s really comfortable in that bullpen,” manager Pedro Grifol said. “And he’s feeling it. Mentally and physically.”

Pitching on the Charlotte side, Kopech struck out Gavin Sheets swinging and retired Nicky Lopez (fly out) and Braden Shewmake (ground out). He has pitched in relief before: 40 of 44 appearances in 2021, to the tune of a 3.50 ERA that factored into the Sox’ divisional championship. In 2022, he made 25 starts, going 5-9 with a 3.54 ERA. Last season, he walked 91 batters in 129„ innings, finishing 5-12 with a 5.43 ERA.

This year, he came to camp with an opportunity to win a starter’s job, but command was a problem again.

There are needs in the bullpen — particularly at 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 formula for him.

“It’s good,” he said. “It’s still pitching. But [at] 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 isn’t official, but with Nick Nastrini, the top fifth-starter candidate, not needed until the sixth game, the Sox seem headed toward 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 expectations and indications from inside the clubhouse point directly to the others.

Kopech said he doesn’t know when he’ll pitch. Grifol has said he’ll manage the bullpen based on leverage situations. So it depends on the confidence Grifol 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 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 seeing 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.”

Grifol said he doesn’t have a closer “unless you bring back Dennis Eckersley or somebody like that.”

“We’re attacking leverage,” he said. “If somebody takes it on, somebody takes it on. But even then, how can I sleep at night if we have a leverage situation in the eighth with the two, three, four hitters coming up and I don’t use our best guy?”

Whom that turns out to be bears watching.