Kopech finds support, still improving

This story was excerpted from Scott Merkin’s White Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

KANSAS CITY -- Michael Kopech had a support problem entering his start last Sunday against the Reds.

The right-hander had the lowest run support among the five White Sox starting pitchers and the fourth lowest in the American League. In fact, the White Sox had provided no run support in four of his six starts.

But Kopech comes into Friday’s home start against the Astros -- and Jose Abreu -- now featuring the highest run support among the starters. A 17-run White Sox outburst against the Reds will make that switch for a pitcher.

“It ended up being a game I really needed,” Kopech told me during an interview at Kauffman Stadium after the 17-4 victory. “Things could have gone a lot worse for me that game. But because of the momentum of our offense, it really put me in a good position. It put us in a good position to win.

“I’m going to try to do what I can on days when the bats aren’t there. Obviously, the bats did their thing when my best stuff wasn’t there. A lot of times it balances each other out. It’s not really about getting as much run support as you can or always putting up zeros. That’s why it’s a team game. Definitely grateful of that one.”

Kopech actually trailed, 1-0, after one inning, but the White Sox answered the Reds with an 11-run second. He went from working in a close game with high-leverage pitches to having to go play catch during the rally because he felt like “I hadn’t thrown in an hour.”

Cincinnati scored four runs off Kopech, all on solo home runs, giving him the Major League lead at the time with 12 allowed. He entered Thursday tied for second.

Nine of those homers have come in two games, with the Giants tagging him for five in his season opener on April 3. He laughed and said it was “quite a bit” when I mentioned the total of 12, but Kopech was able to break it down as part of the ongoing process of the starter’s growth.

“Ultimately, they say 'solo shots don’t hurt you', but you give up four or five of them and they can,” Kopech said. “My stuff wasn’t as good as it has been [Sunday], but also, I didn’t have as much I don’t want to say aggression as I have had, but I wasn’t attacking guys that I feel like I should. I was moreso trying to get outs and you know, looking back, you can’t go into a game with that kind of mindset.

“San Fran game is a little bit different. More than likely, I was tipping pitches, but even if I wasn’t, I kind of got myself in a position where I was leaving the ball over the plate and made a few mistakes and got hit hard. I don’t think that’s me. But it’s really hard to say that when I’m probably leading the league in homers as a starter right now. So, it’s just something I keep going out there and competing with best stuff I can and trying to get guys out.”