Michael Kopech #34 of the White Sox throws a pitch during the first inning of a game against the Colorado Rockies at Guaranteed Rate Field on September 13, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)
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OAKLAND, Calif. — The White Sox placed starting pitcher Michael Kopech on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation Sunday and purchased the contract of veteran reliever Bryan Shaw from Triple-A Charlotte.
The Sox also transferred infielder Romy Gonzalez (shoulder inflammation) from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL.
Kopech’s turn to pitch would have been Sunday, but he has not been with the team in Oakland and manager Pedro Grifol had talked about giving possibly giving him one start this week at home for an extended rest over the upcoming All-Star break.
Kopech threw 102 pitches in four innings against the Angels in Anaheim Tuesday. Grifol said he’ll return to the rotation probably at the front end of the rotation after the All-Star beak, which would give him at least 17 days off.
“We just wanted to skip him one more time, to make sure he’s ready to go in the second half,” Grifol said. “Strong the whole second half. That’s basically it.”
Kopech, 27, is 3-7 with a 4.08 ERA in 16 starts and 86 innings this season. He pitched a career high 119 1⁄3 innings last seasobn.
“I’ve always thought prior to coming in here this guy could be one of the best pitchers in the game, I still believe that,” Grifol said. “He’s just got to navigate through a major league season and he’s learning how to do that. We gave him a seven day break and he came back and had three or four great games. Now we’re going to give him another break, give him that second wind, kind of regroup. And he’ll take the ball in the second half and help us stay in this thing or get back to where we feel we can be.”
Shaw, 35, is 2-0 with a 4.03 ERA and four saves in 21 games with Charlotte this season after signing with the Sox as a minor-league free agent on April 28.
owns a 3.92 career ERA with 637 strikeouts, 15 saves and 181 holds in 753 games over 12 major-league seasons with Arizona (2011-12), Cleveland (2013-17, ’21-22), Colorado (2018-19) and Seattle (2020).
Grifol said Shaw is available to pitch multiple innings and and pitched three days in a row.
“He pitches. He likes to pitch,” Grifol said. “He’s a good addition to our staff.”
