The Good and the Bad

Clare called after last night’s White Sox game to ask for the winning Lotto numbers. “I mean, you called Yoan Moncada’s injury.” Yes, I did. Moncada went down with a left abductor strain in the second inning of a Sox 7-5 win over the Guardians; the injury is expected to keep Moncada sidelined for three to six months. Given this is his walk year, that could be it for Yoan Moncada on the South Side. The foundation of Rick Hahn’s rebuild appears to be pulling apart, literally. Given that Moncada, Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert Jr. have been injured so often and for so long, someone needs to ask if team trainers failed to identify problems, especially training and warming up, early on in their respective careers. Well, it’s too late now for at least one the trio. Michael Kopech, however is a different story. Kopech came in the bottom of the eighth and recorded a six-out save on 24 pitches, eighteen for strikes. Fifteen pitches were 100 mph-plus; seven at 99.1 to 99.8; one at 98.9; and one at 90.4. Four of the Cleveland hitters struck out. Dare I hope this is the real Michael Kopech? We’ll find out as soon as the Sox can take a lead into the ninth inning again.