Orioles To Promote Colton Cowser
According to Roch Kubatko of MASN, the Orioles are expected to select the contract of outfield prospect Colton Cowser ahead of tomorrow’s game against the Yankees. Baltimore has a full 40-man roster, meaning the club will need to clear space for the youngster before he can join the team. The impending move will put Cowser in line to make his major league debut.
Cowser, 23, was selected by the Orioles with the fifth overall pick in the 2021 draft. After a sensational professional debut late in the 2021 campaign that saw him slash .375/.490/.492 with more walks than strikeouts between rookie ball and Single-A, Cowser entered the 2022 campaign as a consensus top 100 prospect in the sport. He delivered on that promise and then some, advancing from High-A all the way to Triple-A by the end of 2022 while slashing a solid .278/.406/.469 across three levels of the minor leagues.
While Cowser’s 2022 vaulted him up prospect rankings to the point where he entered 2023 as a consensus top 40 prospect in all of baseball, the Orioles opted to take things slowly with the lefty slugger during his age-23 campaign after he slashed just .219/.339/.429 in 124 Triple-A plate appearances last year. In his return to the club’s Norfolk affiliate, Cowser has proven that he’s mastered the Triple-A level: he’s slashed a whopping .330/.459/.537 with a phenomenal 18.7% walk rate in 257 plate appearances at the level this year.
In making his MLB debut, Cowser joins Baltimore’s youth movement that began with the promotion of Adley Rutschman last summer. Since then, the club has seen top prospects Gunnar Henderson, Grayson Rodriguez, Joey Ortiz, and Jordan Westburg all debut in the big leagues. The surge of young talent has helped buoy the Orioles throughout a fantastic first half. The club is currently 49-35, second in a highly competitive AL East division and in the driver’s seat of the AL wild card race.
Going forward, Cowser figures to slot into the club’s outfield mix. With Cedric Mullins entrenched in center field and both Austin Hays (132 wRC+) and Anthony Santander (122 wRC+) having excellent seasons, it seems likely that Cowser’s arrival leaves Aaron Hicks ticketed for a smaller role. The 33-year-old veteran has had a resurgence since joining the Orioles after being designated for assignment by the Yankees earlier this season, slashing .262/.374/.464 in 99 plate appearances with Baltimore. Going forward, Hicks seems likely to fill the reserve outfielder role currently occupied by Ryan McKenna.
Reds Outright Alec Mills
July 4: Per Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Mills has cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A.
July 2: Per a club announcement, the Reds have made a series of roster moves. Cincinnati has designated right-hander Alec Mills for assignment and optioned right-hander Eduardo Salazar to Triple-A. In corresponding moves, the club has recalled outfielder Stuart Fairchild to the majors and activated right-hander Derek Law from the 15-day injured list.
Mills debuted with the Royals back in 2016 but has spent most of his time in the big leagues with the Cubs to whom Kansas City traded him the following year. From 2018 to 2020, Mills served as a solid swingman for Chicago, posting a 3.87 ERA and 4.59 FIP in 116 1/3 innings of work highlighted by a no-hitter against the Brewers during the shortened 2020 season. Since then, however, Mills has struggled mightily at the big league level. In 136 2/3 innings of work in the 2021-22 seasons, Mills posted a brutal 5.66 ERA, 26% worse than league average by measure of ERA+, with a 4.95 FIP. Those numbers prompted the Cubs to outright Mills off the 40-man roster last November, a move that resulted in Mills entering free agency.
He went unsigned throughout the offseason before eventually landing with the Reds on a minor league deal back in May. He posted a 4.09 ERA in 11 innings with the club in the minors before being selected to the roster prior to yesterday’s game against the Padres. Mills entered the game in the seventh for what proved to be a disastrous performance as the righty allowed five runs (two earned) on four hits (including a home run), a walk and a wild pitch while hitting a batter and failing to record a strikeout. Going forward, the club will have seven days to trade, release, or pass Mills through waivers. If passed through waivers, the club can assign him outright to Triple-A, though since Mills has been previously outrighted in his career he could opt to reject that assignment and test free agency.
Salazar, 25, made his MLB debut with the Reds earlier this year. In 12 1/3 innings of work this season, the righty has struggled to an 8.06 ERA and 4.66 FIP. He’ll return to the minors, where he’s posted a 4.03 ERA in 22 1/3 innings split between the Double-A and Triple-A levels, to serve as bullpen depth going forward.
Fairchild, 27, slashed .237/.331/.404 in 184 plate appearances while chipping in eight stolen bases and covering all three outfield spots prior to his demotion late last month. He hit well during his brief stint in Louisville, slashing .240/.296/.680 with three home runs in just 27 plate appearances. Fairchild figures to slot back into the club’s outfield mix alongside TJ Friedl, Jake Fraley, Will Benson, and Nick Senzel going forward.
Law, 32, returns to the club after missing six weeks with an elbow sprain. Prior to his trip to the IL, Law was one of Cincinnati’s more effective relievers this season, with a 2.57 ERA in 21 innings of work. That performance is somewhat belied by a 5.09 FIP thanks to Law’s elevated 14.3% walk rate compared to a 22% strikeout rate. Still, Law seems likely to join the club’s late inning mix ahead of closer Alexis Diaz alongside the likes of Buck Farmer and Lucas Sims.
NL Notes: Wainwright, Syndergaard, Chisholm
The Cardinals put veteran right-hander Adam Wainwright on the 15-day injured list today, with manager Oli Marmol citing “a variety of limitations” to reporters (including The Athletic’s Katie Woo) regarding the reason for Wainwright’s placement on the shelf. Woo added that the official designation for Wainwright’s IL stint was shoulder inflammation, while MLB.com’s John Denton noted that Wainwright made clear that he intends to return before the end of the season.
Wainwright, 41, is currently in the midst of his twentieth season as a member of the Cardinals organization and his eighteenth pitching for the big league club. After posting the numbers of a solid middle of the rotation starter over the past few seasons, with a 3.57 ERA and 3.90 FIP in 635 1/3 innings since the start of the 2019 campaign, the wheels have fallen off for the veteran hurler in 2023. Through ten starts this season, Wainwright has posted a ghastly 7.45 ERA that’s 41% worse than league average by measure of ERA+ with a 5.47 FIP. His strikeout rate has dropped from 17.8% last season to a measly 10.7% figure this season, a figure that’s actually lower than his sky-high barrel rate of 10.9%.
With Wainwright headed to the IL, the Cardinals figure to look toward one of Steven Matz or Dakota Hudson to join the starting rotation in Wainwright’s stead. Matz has struggled to a 5.72 ERA in ten starts this season, but has shown signs of life since moving to the bullpen with an excellent 1.98 ERA in 13 2/3 innings of work as a multi-inning relief arm. Hudson, meanwhile, has spent most of the 2023 campaign in the minors with an unsightly 6.00 ERA in 48 Triple-A innings, but the righty impressed with 2 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen recently, a performance that could earn Hudson another look on the major league pitching staff.
More from the National League…
- Dodgers right-hander Noah Syndergaard could return in the near future, as manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Jack Harris of the LA Times) that Syndergaard is scheduled to throw live batting practice later this week and that, if it goes well, he could advance to a rehab assignment shortly thereafter. Syndergaard struggled mightily to a 7.12 ERA with a 5.55 FIP across 12 starts prior to his placement on the injured list a month ago. Despite those ugly numbers, if Syndergaard has managed to get right during his time on the shelf, he could be an asset to a Dodgers rotation that recently saw Clayton Kershaw head to the IL and Dustin May‘s season end with an impending elbow surgery.
- Marlins center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. went on the injured list yesterday with a left oblique strain just a week after returning from a six week IL stint due to turf toe. Fortunately for Miami the young outfielder, Chisholm’s MRI results came back today and showed only a mild strain, per Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald. That’s excellent news, as mild strains can often be resolved fairly quickly. Chisholm will have the upcoming All Star break to rest and rehab and while no timetable for his return has been announced, it’s possible the 25 year old could return to big league action shortly thereafter.
Shohei Ohtani Exits With Right Middle Finger Blister
Just hours after the club placed superstar Mike Trout on the injured list with a hamate fracture, the Angels fans are surely reeling after watching a franchise icon exit due to injury for the second consecutive night. Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani left his start this evening with what the club announced as a right middle finger blister. Outfielder Jo Adell then pinch-hit for Ohtani the next time he was due up to bat.
Following the game, Ohtani told reporters (including Sam Blum of The Athletic) through his interpreter that he wasn’t sure how his hitting would be impacted by the injury in the short term. With just three games left until the All Star break, it would be understandable if the club decided to proceed with caution and give their superstar extra time off to heal and prepare for the second half. Ohtani, who was elected to the All Star game as the starting DH for the AL, noted he does not expect to pitch due to the injury, though he did not comment on whether he would participate as a hitter.
The blister issue comes on the heels of Ohtani having his start, originally scheduled for yesterday, pushed back a day while he dealt with a cracked fingernail. As noted by Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register, the fingernail issue hadn’t fully healed prior to tonight’s game and contributed to the blister, which worsened as the start went on. Ohtani indicated that he’s hopeful he’ll be able to make his next start, which would likely be slated for the Astros series that immediately follows the All Star break.
Ohtani wasn’t the only big name player to exit tonight’s 8-5 loss to the Padres with an injury, as third baseman Anthony Rendon fouled a ball off his shin and exited the game. Per Fletcher, Rendon’s x-rays came back negative and he was diagnosed with a shin contusion. After the game, Rendon used crutches while speaking to reporters. As noted by Blum, the veteran infielder told reporters that he expects to know more about whether or not he’s headed for a stint on the injured list tomorrow but that “it’s not looking good” regarding his ability to return to action in short order.
Anaheim’s awful fortune in the injury department comes as the club looks to stop a 4-10 skid that has seen them fall to an uninspiring 45-43 record. That record leaves the Halos seven games back in the AL West and four games out of a Wild Card spot as they try to make the most of Ohtani’s final season under team control before he can hit the open market this offseason for what is perhaps the most anticipated free agency of all time. Going forward, they’ll look to keep things afloat in the run up to the trade deadline on August 1 and Trout’s return, which is expected to occur sometime next month.
Dustin May To Undergo Season-Ending Flexor Tendon Surgery
Dodgers right-hander Dustin May will undergo surgery on his right elbow to repair the flexor tendon later this month, per a team announcement. The surgery will bring an end to May’s 2023 campaign. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic adds that May will also undergo a Tommy John revision for a Grade 2 UCL sprain, noting that the Dodgers hope May will be able to return midseason in 2024.
May initially went on the injured list back in May with a flexor pronator strain that offered an initial recovery timeline of just four to six weeks. That, of course, didn’t come to pass. LA placed May on the 60-day injured list less than a week later, a move that suggested the injury could be more significant than the club initially believed and pushed the earliest possible date for May’s return until after the All Star break. Now, the question of May’s return to action will be pushed to the 2024 campaign.
It’s a serious blow to the club’s rotation, as May posted an impressive 2.63 ERA (68% better than league average by ERA+) and a 3.27 FIP in 48 innings of work this season prior to his placement on the IL. May is far from the only arm in the club’s rotation picture who’s struggling with injuries or ineffectiveness, as well. Clayton Kershaw and Noah Syndergaard are both on the shelf at the moment, while Walker Buehler and Ryan Pepiot have yet to throw a pitch for the club during the 2023 regular season.
Meanwhile, Julio Urias is coming off a six week trip to the IL of his own and has struggled to a 4.94 ERA and 5.30 FIP in the 11 starts he’s made this season. Tony Gonsolin has mostly pitched well this season, with a 3.69 ERA in 61 innings, but has also spent time on the injured list and owns a 9.42 ERA across his last three starts. Youngsters Bobby Miller, Emmet Sheehan, Michael Grove, and Gavin Stone have been tasked with picking up the rotation’s slack to mixed results; while Miller and Sheehan have largely proven successful, Grove and Stone haven’t done the same. Altogether, the quartet of prospects has posted a 6.01 ERA in 106 1/3 innings this season.
The Dodgers were already widely expected to pursue pitching upgrades ahead of the trade deadline on August 1, and today’s news should only increase the club’s urgency in that regard. It’s hard to say with certainty which players will be available, given the number of teams that have yet to commit to selling. That being said, Marcus Stroman and Drew Smyly of the Cubs, Jordan Montgomery and Jack Flaherty of the Cardinals, and Lucas Giolito of the White Sox are among the names that have garnered the most speculation to this point in the season.
Of course, there are plenty of names that would bolster weak Dodgers pitching staff that sports a bullpen ERA of 4.48 (third worst in the NL) in addition to the aforementioned rotation struggles, including relief arms like Reynaldo Lopez of the White Sox and Scott Barlow of the Royals. Considering the club’s 47-37 record that puts them just two games back in the NL West and gives them possession of the second NL wild card spot, the Dodgers are well positioned to make impactful adds to their pitching staff over the next few weeks.
In the longer term, May’s injury leaves an additional question mark for the Dodgers as they look ahead to 2024. The club’s starting rotation is slated to lose Kershaw, Urias, and Syndergaard to free agency this offseason. Buehler (who figures to pitch his first full season back from Tommy John surgery next year) and Gonsolin seem poised to occupy two spots in the club’s starting group.
While it seems reasonable to expect at least one empty slot in the rotation to be dedicated to the club’s current crop of youngsters, that still leaves two vacancies for the club to fill in its rotation for Opening Day 2024, whether that be by way of re-signing one of their outgoing free agents, dipping into the rest of a deep free agent pitching class, or by acquiring an arm controlled beyond this season via trade. Of course, the Dodgers are widely expected to have interest in two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani when he hits the open market after the 2023 campaign comes to an end, but Ohtani has pitched exclusively as a member of a six-man rotation during his time in the majors, meaning his hypothetical addition wouldn’t change the club’s need for additional arms.
AL Central Notes: Twins, McKenzie, Greene, White Sox
The Twins shuffled their bullpen around a bit today as the club announced that right-hander Jorge Lopez had been reinstated from the injured list. The former All Star was placed on the 15-day IL last month for mental health reasons and told reporters (including Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com) that he’s feeling good about where he’s at as he returns to the mound while expressing appreciation for the organization’s support during his IL stint.
The 30-year-old righty broke out in a big way with the Orioles last season, posting a 1.68 ERA and 2.99 FIP in 48 1/3 innings before Baltimore shipped him to Minnesota at the trade deadline for a package including 2023 relief standout Yennier Cano. Since joining the Twins, Lopez has struggled to a 4.71 ERA and 5.37 FIP in 49 2/3 innings. Lopez, who has two seasons of team control left through arbitration, will look to get his Twins career on track going forward this season as part of a Twins bullpen currently relying on Emilio Pagan, Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran in the late innings.
Lopez’s return isn’t the only change in the Twins bullpen on the horizon, however, as manager Rocco Baldelli told reporters, including The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman, that righty pitching prospect Jordan Balazovic, who had recently been pitching in long relief out of the major league bullpen, will be shortened up and used as a more traditional reliever going forward. Balazovic has impressed in his first call-up to the big leagues this season, with a 1.23 ERA in 7 1/3 innings across six appearances.
More from around the AL Central…
- Guardians right-hander Triston McKenzie will look to recover from last month’s UCL sprain without going under the knife, per The Athletic’s Zack Meisel. Meisel notes that the 25-year-old righty will be shut down for three more weeks but that Cleveland is hopeful McKenzie will be able to return to the big league mound at some point this season. The prospect of McKenzie returning this season is surely a tantalizing one for Guardians fans, as the young right-hander broke out in a big way last season with a 2.96 ERA in 191 1/3 innings of work. With McKenzie on the shelf, Cleveland is currently utilizing a rotation of Shane Bieber, Cal Quantrill, Aaron Civale, Tanner Bibee, and Gavin Williams.
- Tigers outfielder Riley Greene began a rehab assignment with the club’s Triple-A affiliate in Toledo yesterday, with Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic among those noting that he’ll be in the lineup tomorrow. That Greene is seemingly nearing a return is fantastic news for the Tigers, who returned left-hander Tarik Skubal from the injured list today and are surely hoping to receive a similar boost from the return of Greene. The 22-year-old outfielder has posted a 127 wRC+ in 224 plate appearances this season in conjunction with stellar center field defense.
- The White Sox announced today that they had recalled outfielder Oscar Colas to the major league roster. Colas made the club’s Opening Day roster this season as the primary right fielder but struggled to a slash line of just .211/.265/.276 in 84 plate appearances before returning to Triple-A. He’s hit well with the club’s affiliate in Charlotte since then, however, boasting a solid .293/.359/.508 slash line in 212 plate appearances. That performance has seeming earned Colas another shot in right at the big league level, where he’ll likely share time with Gavin Sheets going forward.
The Opener: Kershaw, Whitlock, Orioles, Yankees
With the calendar now flipped to July, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Uncertainty surrounding Kershaw:
Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw has been dealing with elbow inflammation since his most recent start last week. The Dodgers have yet to decide whether the veteran lefty would require an IL stint, but with his next start scheduled for today, they’ll need to make a call within the next few hours. As noted by Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, right-hander Michael Grove is poised to take the ball against the Pirates this evening if Kershaw isn’t ready to go.
Kershaw has been the Dodgers’ most reliable starting option this season, posting a 2.55 ERA and 3.54 FIP in 95 1/3 innings of work — including a sterling 1.09 ERA in five June starts. The club has gotten a worrisome 5.26 ERA from the rest of its starters this season thanks to rough first halves from Grove, Julio Urias, and Noah Syndergaard, a stat that highlights Kershaw’s importance to the team in the long-term. What’s more, Urias and right-hander Tony Gonsolin combined for just 6 2/3 innings of work when starting the club’s past two games, leaving the Dodgers with a taxed bullpen that would be unlikely to pick up the slack if Kershaw required an early exit.
2. Whitlock to undergo MRI:
Red Sox right-hander Garrett Whitlock is expected to undergo an MRI today on the heels of his exit from yesterday’s start against the Blue Jays after just one inning with elbow tightness. In the event Whitlock misses time, Boston will be left in a pickle regarding their rotation; the club sports just three active starters besides Whitlock in James Paxton, Brayan Bello, and Kutter Crawford. Chris Sale and Tanner Houck are on the injured list and don’t appear close to a return, right-hander Nick Pivetta was recently demoted to the bullpen, and both aforementioned issues apply to veteran hurler Corey Kluber.
While the club could place Pivetta back in the rotation going forward, Chad Jennings of The Athletic notes that Cora has expressed hesitance at the idea of moving him out of his current role. After two appearances where he struggled to adjust to his new role, Pivetta has dominated out of the bullpen with a 1.93 ERA and 3.23 FIP in his past 11 appearances.
3. Series Preview: Orioles @ Yankees
The Orioles head to Yankees Stadium for a four-game set in New York today. The series kicks off with right-hander Tyler Wells taking on Domingo German, who will be making his first start since throwing the first perfect game in more than a decade. Both clubs scuffled in June. The Yankees posted an 11-14 record since June 1, and while the Orioles have fared better with a 14-12 record, Baltimore has won just one of its last five series. In a highly competitive AL East, a quality showing in this series will be key for both clubs. The third-place Yankees could tie the Orioles in the standings with a sweep, while the Orioles will need a strong showing to keep pace with the division-leading Rays, who lead Baltimore by 5.5 games in the division.
NL Notes: Goldschmidt, Reynolds, Painter, Suarez
The Cardinals have been among the most disappointing teams in the league this season. Despite coming into the season as the shoo-in favorite for the NL Central crown, St. Louis sports just a 34-48 record and is in fifth place in the NL Central, 9.5 games out of a playoff spot. That rough first half to the 2023 campaign led president of baseball operations John Mozeliak to admit that “some changes” were on the horizon for the Cardinals late last month, even as he pushed back against the idea of the club entering a full rebuild.
The Athletic’s Katie Woo expanded upon those comments today, suggesting that the Cardinals are likely to make most of their position player group available in trade talks as they look to retool the team, though she highlights Nolan Arenado, Willson Contreras, Lars Nootbaar, and Jordan Walker as players who aren’t expected to be moved. Woo places the most emphasis on first baseman Paul Goldschmidt as a player who’s off-limits in trade as the deadline approaches.
The 35-year-old first baseman has posted another solid season for the Cardinals on the heels of his 2022 MVP campaign, slashing .289/.379/.498 in 359 plate appearances this season. A free agent after the 2024 campaign, speculation has swirled that the club might consider offers on Goldschmidt ahead of the trade deadline this year. Woo pushes back strongly against those rumors, arguing that a two-year extension this offseason is the “most likely scenario” regarding Goldschmidt. Such a deal would figure to take the veteran slugger through the end of his age-38 season in a Cardinals uniform.
More from around the National League…
- The Pirates welcomed outfielder Bryan Reynolds back from the injured list today, per a club announcement. Pittsburgh’s star was on the shelf with a low back strain for just slightly over the minimum 10 days required, but the club struggled while Reynolds was away. Since Reynolds last appeared in a game on June 19, the club has gone 5-6 including key losses to division rivals in Chicago and Milwaukee. Reynolds, who’s slashing .279/.350/.473 in 294 plate appearances this season, will look to spark his club as they head into the All Star break with tough matchups against the Dodgers and Diamondbacks. In recent days, outfielder Josh Palacios has filled in for Reynolds in the outfield alongside Henry Davis and Jack Suwinski.
- Phillies managed Rob Thomson tells reporters, including Destiny Lugardo of Phillies Nation, that top prospect Andrew Painter is set to face live hitters on Tuesday for the first time since he was shut down during Spring Training with a UCL sprain. In even more encouraging news, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com adds that Painter is not only expected to pitch competitively at some point this summer, but could make his big league debut sometime this season. That’s surely a relief for Phillies fans, given Painter appeared poised to slot into the club’s Opening Day rotation prior to his injury during the spring as baseball’s consensus top pitching prospect.
- Padres reliever Robert Suarez is making progress in his return to a big league mound, beginning a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League as noted by Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Suarez has been on the 60-day IL all season dealing with an elbow injury, but was a key piece of the San Diego bullpen last season with a 2.27 ERA in 47 2/3 innings of work. Sanders adds that Suarez is expected back sometime after the All Star break. Upon his return, Suarez figures to bolster a bullpen that ranks bottom ten in the majors with a 4.26 FIP.
Mariners Claim Mark Mathias From Pirates
The Mariners claimed infielder Mark Mathias off waivers from the Pirates today, per a club announcement. Mathias had previously been designated for assignment by Pittsburgh in order to make room for recently-acquired right-hander Andre Jackson on the 40-man roster. A corresponding move wasn’t necessary, as the club’s 40-man roster had an empty spot after the club designated Chris Flexen for assignment last week.
Mathias, 28, was a third-round pick by Cleveland in the 2015 draft. He made his major league debut with the Brewers during the shortened 2020 campaign, appearing in 16 games while playing first base, second base, and all three outfield spots. He spent the entire 2021 season on the shelf with a torn labrum before being traded to the Rangers at the 2022 Trade Deadline in the deal that sent right-hander Matt Bush to Milwuakee.
Mathias hit well in 24 games with the Rangers, slashing .277/.365/.554 in 74 plate appearances while splitting time between the infield and outfield corners. Prior to the 2023 campaign, Mathias was designated for assignment to make room for left-hander Will Smith on the Rangers’ 40-man roster. He was shipped to the Pirates shortly thereafter, where he slashed .231/.355/.269 in 24 games while primarily playing second base prior to his DFA.
Going forward, Mathias figures to join the likes of Sam Haggerty, Taylor Trammell, and Cooper Hummell as depth options in Triple-A behind the big league bench of AJ Pollock, Dylan Moore, Jose Caballero, and Tom Murphy.
White Sox Place Michael Kopech On 15-Day IL, Select Bryan Shaw
The White Sox announced a series of roster moves this afternoon. The club placed right-hander Michael Kopech on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. To fill Kopech’s spot on the active roster, Chicago selected the contract of right-hander Bryan Shaw. To clear space for Shaw on the 40-man roster, infielder Romy Gonzalez was transferred to the 60-day IL.
Kopech, 27, was a first-round pick by the Red Sox in the 2014 draft and came over to the White Sox in the Chris Sale trade prior to the 2017 season. Kopech had a brief cup of coffee in the majors in 2018 that lasted four starts, but became a more permanent fixture of Chicago’s pitching staff in 2021 as a member of the bullpen, where he posted a 3.50 ERA and 2.97 FIP in 69 1/3 innings. 2022 saw the right-hander move to the rotation.
Since then, Kopech’s performance has been solid if unspectacular. In 205 1/3 innings of work across 41 starts, the young hurler has posted a 3.77 ERA and 4.95 FIP. He’s posted a solid 23.3% strikeout rate during that time though his 12.2% walk rate leaves something to be desired, particularly when paired with a groundball rate of just 35.6%. Still, he’s provided solid stability at the back of the club’s rotation. With Kopech joining Mike Clevinger on the shelf, the Sox figure to rely on Tanner Banks and Jesse Scholtens to handle starts in the run-up to the All Star break.
As for Shaw, the veteran hurler was a second-round pick by the Diamondbacks in the 2008 draft and was a steady relief option for Arizona and Cleveland from 2011-17, with a 3.13 ERA and 3.52 FIP in 446 1/3 innings of work. In five seasons since then, Shaw has been far less effective, with a 5.23 ERA in 268 1/3 innings of work. He signed with the White Sox on a minor league deal back in April and has delivered a solid 4.03 ERA in 22 1/3 innings of work at the Triple-A level since then. Now, Shaw will join the club’s bullpen mix, covering the middle innings alongside the likes of Gregory Santos and Aaron Bummer.
Gonzalez, meanwhile, heads to the 60-day IL a few weeks after being placed on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation, a designation that will keep him out until late August at the earliest. The utility man hit a paltry .194/.208/.376 in 97 plate appearances for the Sox this season prior to his placement on the IL.