It Better Be

Yesterday against the Giants, White Sox starter Michael Kopech faced a lineup featuring Brandon Crawford; Bryce Johnson (eighteen major-league at-bats); and seven minor leaguers. Things did not go well for the twenty-six year-old righthander. Kopech walked the first two batters on eight pitches before getting out of the first innings, then gave up two hits to start the second before wiggling out of trouble. He put two runners on in the third and came within a pitch of escaping yet again, only to give up a three-run homerun to one of the minor leaguers. Alas, there’s more. Our projected third or fourth starter in the rotation, as well as rebuild foundation piece, gave up another two runs in the fourth before departing. Kopech went three-plus innings, giving up five runs on seven hits and four walks vs. three strikeouts. Crawford went hitless on the day, by the way. At least two sympathetic reporters pointed out that Kopech was battling a sinus condition. I hope that’s the culprit here. Because we’re talking about someone who’s no longer a wunderkind, not when he’s coming up on his twenty-seventh birthday next month. I’m starting to think Sox fans might be better off waiting for Godot to arrive. Of course, a breakout season proves me wrong.