White Sox move starting pitcher to bullpen after Cease trade

GLENDALE, Ariz. — A day after the Chicago White Sox traded staff ace Dylan Cease to the San Diego Padres, general manager Chris Getz announced another starting pitcher is on the move to the bullpen.

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In a press conference held over zoom, Getz told local media starting pitcher Michael Kopech will be moved to the bullpen ahead of the start of the Major League Baseball regular season.

Kopech told media at the White Sox spring training facilities in Camelback Ranch Thursday that he doesn’t think he’ll have to change his approach, and he’s ready for whatever the team needs from him in order to win ball games.

“Nothing changes as far as the approach I have to have, as far as going into a game having to be ready,” Kopech said. “I think with this new opportunity, it’s more of being prepared for that first hitter, which would seem like it would be the obvious starter, but a lot of times you feel like you have time to work into a game and that little bit of leeway makes it more difficult to attack.”

When asked if he knew the role he will have in Chicago’s bullpen this year, Kopech said that’s yet to have been decided.

“No. I think a lot of things are open right now,” Kopech said. “We have a pretty new team and we’re figuring out roles all the way around and I’ll do which ever one we need.”

Kopech went 5-12 with a 5.43 ERA across 30 games (27 starts, 129.1 innings pitched) with 134 strikeouts, an American League-leading 91 walks, and 29 home runs surrendered in 2023 for the White Sox.

From 2021-22, he went 9-12 with a 3.53 ERA across 69 games (29 starts, 188.2 IP) with 208 strikeouts, 81 walks and 24 home runs surrendered over the two-year timeframe.

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Kopech was originally a first round pick of the Boston Red Sox in the 2014 MLB amateur draft before being acquired by Chicago in a blockbuster trade that sent starting pitcher Chris Sale to Boston in 2016.

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