White Sox righty Michael Kopech has opted out of the 2020 season, per a club announcement. He was working his way back from Tommy John surgery.
In other news from White Sox camp, infielder Yoan Moncada and righty Jose Ruiz have each been placed on the 10-day injured list. Further details are not known at this time.
Kopech did not reveal his personal decisionmaking process in the announcement. Pursuant to the modified rules for the 2020 season, players have the exclusive right to opt out without penalty. Those that have a particular medical basis for the decision can retain their salary and service time; others sacrifice those things.
It’s not clear in this case whether Kopech will continue to accrue service time in the 2020 season. If not, the 24-year-old will begin the 2021 campaign with just over one full season of MLB service.
Kopech is one of the most exciting young talents in the White Sox organization. He debuted in 2018, showing big stuff but ultimately coming down with a torn ulnar collateral ligament.
Good for him. He will be ready to rock in 2021
If he can throw a strike.
@Dogbone
Yeah, he can definitely throw a strike.
Limited sample size, but he has thrown 67.6% of his MLB pitches for strikes vs a league wide rate of about 62%.
Yikes, Bucks the trend of only older players with plenty of $$$ opting out.
Yes, but much fewer young players like Kopech have the ability to keep the service time-clock ticking (to free agency) and collecting a paycheck because a medical condition (TJS).
He doesn’t get service time for the season if he opts out. He also doesn’t get paid as far as I know.
Correct.
Not getting paid.
Not high risk opt out.
Wife pregnant. Kopech files for divorce.
It’s his marriage, not TJ or mental illness, behind his decision to opt out.
Nonetheless, it must be nice to say, “Meh, I’m not going to come to work this year; I’ll see you next year, yeah?” And he’s not even in the majors yet…
Seems smart in his case. Have to think he would be limited as it is since he is coming off TJS. Better to rehab and be fully ready for 2021.
I’m not totally convinced this necessarily has to do with his recovery from TJ.
Wasn’t he quoted frequently how well his rehab was coming along. If that was true, does that mean he’s had a significant set-back? So far, all parties haven’t been too willing to discuss anything about the matter.
Does this use up a year of teams control?
He gains no service time.
@Dogbone
It’s a personal matter (whatever that means, we may never know), so I seriously doubt it has anything to do with the recovery from TJ.
The article says it’s unknown about the reason or service time issue. Just a guess here: it’s somehow related to TJ. Given his arm value, why would any team work to build up his arm for such a limited game schedule? Instead, let him continue at his own pace. Regardless, it’s better to be safe and it appears he’s gained maturity since his early days after signing with Boston. If so, nice to hear,
@looiebelongsinthehall
I’ve been reading about Kopech over the last week on the CSN Chicago site, and it’s being called a “personal matter.” What that means, I don’t know, and we may never know. But since they have mentioned nothing about his TJ surgery (outside the fact he had TJ surgery), it’s most likely not from that. But I’m not his doctor, so I’m not certain.
@looie
I have no idea why you would say that Kopechs ‘matured’. Not sure where evidence exists re that statement. Nor the opinion that he’s going to throw strikes, after about 2 years off.
My comments about his maturity are a bit personal. My comments herein show my beliefs about this crazy situation we live in and to possibly give up a year of service time suggests maturity (to me) if the reason is tied to the disease. Separately, even with the signing bonus he banked, most kids his age seem to be head strong and many times unable to see beyond the dollar signs. Just my take dogbone. Also 83sox, thanks for the CSN input.
I would expect it has nothing to do with TJS. If that’s what it was he was Pilsner opt out. The team would be forced to put him on the DL and end his season that way and he’d still for sure get paid and active service time. No way he would give that up for something the team would be forced to take care of anyways
*wouldn’t* not Pilsner lol
He has not had any setback
Wouldn’t that make him more likely to opt in? If he’s going to keep rehabbing, night as well get paid and service time.
He was already throwing 100+ months ago. This is not health related. Read the Hahn announcement.
Maybe he just wants to spend more time with his actress wife instead of pitching in a bubble.
Your right so fan, not health related. It’s mental health related. And his actress mate, is a drama queen. And he hasn’t grown up yet.
This season will not happen. As each day passes, and more guys opt out, there just is no reason to play a joke of a 60 game season with no fans, so called health risks, little star power, and little interest.
its not even been about 1 per day, and half have been bubble guys (Felix, Noesi, Tyson Ross, etc)
“little star power” lol. Price, Posey, Zimmerman and Desmond are all former all stars past their prime.
Former, older players for the most part, with families to consider,
a single star hasnt opted out.
But he’s a different animal than the others who have opted out. He’s young, almost two years removed from an injury. Still a promising future.
He’s clearly different than the others.
I guess Mike Trout counts as two stars…
Mike Trout hasn’t opted out. He may, but since he hasn’t announced it, I doubt he will.
It doesn’t really matter if Mike Trout opts out. People are used to the playoffs happening without Trout, so this won’t be much different
Sad but I laughed at that hiflew. I for one would love to see him on a strong club. Reminds me of Mattingly who even as a Boston fan was hard to root against. I still remember being glad Seattle won that great 95 series but sad for Mattingly who had a terrific first time playoff series.
Correct
All of the opt outs have been older players way last their primes who are doing their team a favor by opting out lol or guys that just sucked anyway
I will always have respect for any player that opts out. It’s a really tough situation to be in for them because you know how the team culture is and they were basically being shamed to show up and play or risk alienating your teammates.
honestly id have waited if i was him. very possible the Sox might not have played him anyway. either way, id probably prefer to not play if i was him.
They will start the season this year; too much invested already not to at least try it. Hopefully they can figure out a way to get 60 games in, but with all this travel to COVID infested states, it’s going to take some serious discipline and luck to finish this season out. Let’s hope they can do it!
I can see them starting the season, I’m just not so sure they will finish it
I get seeing veterans opting out but a young pitcher trying to regain some strength following tommy john surgery just seems off. Thought he’d want to help the team out. ☹
From the beginning of the month and through today Chicago radio stations and Rick Hahn have been reporting that he was absent due to personal reasons and that he is healthy. If he (Kopech) is not disclosing the decision process let’s respect that and not surmise anything.
I think third year 40 man roster guys make 95K. I’m pretty sure he wasn’t out of options in which case his salary would’ve been 570K pro rated. So not a big monetary loss for him (he’s still a multi millionaire from his first round signing bonus) and lots of opportunity to rebuild arm strength. The big loss is service time. He’ll have arb pushed one year back.
He’s like 15 months past TJ isn’t he? Should be close to ready for action and could have been throwing some kind of simulated games vs rest of the people Chisox had since no MiLB games. This is odd since he’s not some player who has already past prime and made his millions, but needs the cash it would seem.
Must be some health reason, but rarity if indeed it is, regardless of the noise see bandied about when Kopech is single with no kids, or was.
Tj had nothing to do with it. I have no insider info, but he is almost 2 years post surgery and threw 100 in a spring game in march.
He had surgery in September 2018. Same time as Ohtani. The 60 games is a perfect reintroduction to pitching.
I’d love to know why he opted out.
Every arm is different and surgeries are unique. I for example 20 years ago went through ACL reconstruction with one of the best NYC head “team physicians” yet every time the CPM (to auto flex the knee) was used post surgery, it reopened the wound and I was still bleeding 39 days post surgery. Doc called it a one in a thousand complication that set my recovery back. Just an example. Seeing the other posts, his rehab was going well in March but who knows? He could simply have had a rehab issue and with Covid, hasn’t brought attention to it. Speculation but regardless, it’s best to be safe.
Looie, don’t forget, just like every arm is different- – so is every ‘head’!!!
this is interesting… he must have a pretty serious reason/fear for his or a close loved ones health… because otherwise giving up a year of service time at his age (and that he’s yet to really establish himself in the majors) is a tough pill to swallow. Assuming he’s not high risk himself… this will push back his arb-eligibility by a full year AND prevent him from really being able to establish himself as a legit ML P this season. Wish him the best health wise and everything! Just surprising to see a player in his position opt-out and thus potentially cost himself a lot of $ (or at least delay getting a lot of $ – through arbitration or FA) by an entire season!
He is unique. Certainly not like the others who are opting out.
We may never know why he opted out, and that’s fine, I respect his privacy, but I’m still a little disappointed he won’t pitch this year. I don’t care about the results this season (even if it gets finished), but Kopech is one of the guys I wanted to get some games under his belt this year so he can be ready for a full season next year.
Obviously his personal matter must’ve been very serious for him to give up his salary, plus most likely a year of control (I assume his personal matter isn’t health related, but I’m not his doctor, so I don’t know for sure).
I suppose if he’s going to sit out the season, this is the one to sit out.
I have no idea, but let’s remember Michael isn’t exactly a choir boy. A drug suspension as a minor leaguer, and was sent home for having an altercation with a roomate a year later. At the time of the Sale trade, I remember referances being made in the Boston press about behavioral issues.
Again, I have no idea if the events are at all related, but it certainly remains a possibility. The TJ referance seems a bit lame…it’s been a while. .
Not sure if this has been said yet, but I believe Kopech is the first AL player to opt out.
Great Value Mark Prior.
It’s nobody’s business why he’s opting out. Whatever the reason, good for him. I don’t know much about him, but any young star who can afford it is better off putting this year aside and waiting for 2021 when there might be a real championship worth playing for, rather than a glorified asterisk.
Maybe one day we will finally see him pitch. Unbelieveable
Hope this is COVID safety related and not something deeper.
Beginning to get concerned with his mental state after so many stories/rumors-quitting social media then returning/public break-ups/”racist” posts from his past/drug suspension/leaving team for “personal reasons”/broke his hand fighting a teamate and mound tantrums in Charlotte.
@pplama
Wondering about that myself with his mental state. I really hope it’s not that either, but with the evidence you’ve put out there, it’s a definite possibility.
Procedural question- Kopech was sent down prior to the abrupt stoppage of spring training. So the question of service time raised in the above article is moot, correct?
Great point. I’d have to say so.
@pplama
I would’ve said yes, but with some of the strange rules they’ve put in for this season, I’m not sure.
Super curious about the service time. Because in no service time is accrued , he’s still in Chicago for an extra year.
Yes. But the Sox lost a year of service time from the TJ surgery.
Will be interesting to see how a guy rebounds after not throwing a pitch from 2018-2021.
He was throwing 100+ in March
Service time a non issue.
Once Kopech works through his issues and performs well, the Sox will lock him up for 5+ years.
Kopech has openly discussed previous struggles with anxiety and depression. Although we don’t know if that is related to his decision to opt out, I can imagine that trying to play baseball during these times, especially with all the special rules and testing protocols, would increase one’s anxiety level.
Exactly!
Don’t forget that another player who struggled with anxiety early on and “would never play in a major market because of it” was Zack Greinke. Of course, he was AMAZING when he played in LA. Every person is different and things can go a million different ways, but ZG is a great example of how someone can overcome their mental hurdles. Best of luck and health, MK!
As much as I wanted to see Kopech pitch this season, this might have cleared a better path for Dunning. I don’t think Dunning breaks camp with the Sox, but I could see him eventually taking what would’ve been Kopech’s spot on the team. I guess we’ll see soon enough.
Early reports on Dunning’s velo weren’t great. Not a great sign. Really thought he was the safest bet of the pitchers accrued during the rebuild to at least make the starting rotation. Hope it works out.
@pplama
Definitely not a great sign. It would be a shame too. I was pretty excited in anticipation of seeing him in a Sox uniform before he went under the knife. At this point, we can only hope he eventually regains what he had.
Clears a path for Rodon!
I suppose he wasn’t one of the ones screaming “when and where.”
Correct me if I am wrong, but due to his choice, he does not get paid and this year does not count as a year under contract/service time, correct? I think that’s why the Sox support his decision… not just out of the goodness of their hearts. Heck, I would be up for multiple players making this choice… not lose 2020 as a year under contract, since we don’t even know if they’ll get through the season.
Better for the Sox actually… bypass this year and have him start a full season next year at full strength. Only negative would be if the Sox got to the playoffs in 2020, would be missing his arm.
Players are way too entitled. Millions of dollars in salary, travel paid for, 5 star hotel rooms paid for, daily meal money, food provided in the clubhouse, and free medical. Just get out there and play.
Perhaps, but Kopech (and others who have so far opted out) are giving up their service time and that money, which sounds fair enough to me. What’s more interesting is what players who are near the service time required to get another year are going to do. Interesting article on that here: nypost.com/2020/07/11/expect-many-more-mlb-players…