Michael Kopech walked behind the mound at Camelback Ranch and picked up a baseball before Tuesday’s start against the Rangers. Third baseman Yoan Moncada ran by and gave the White Sox pitcher an encouraging pat.
Kopech was back in a familiar setting. And he brought the heat in his first Cactus League game.
The 23-year-old right-hander, who missed all of 2019 recovering from Tommy John surgery, retired the side in order in his only inning.
“It feels nice to be able to compete again,” Kopech said. “Eighteen months out (from surgery), I feel like I haven’t really had a chance to compete the way I like to and know I can, and having that ability (Tuesday), even in a short stint, it’s relieving.
“I feel like I’m a part of a team again. For the most part I never really felt like I was not part of it, but when you’re not competing, a lot of times you become more like a fan. So to get the high-fives and stuff like that and the greetings when I come out of the game, it’s a good feeling.”
His first four pitches, according to the scoreboard at Camelback Ranch, were 100, 101, 100 and 101 mph. Six of his 11 pitches were clocked at either 100 or 101.
“Yeah, I might have been a little geeked,” Kopech said. “First two pitches I felt a little out of control. Third pitch I kind of took a breath and I settled back in. I still had quite a bit of adrenaline going. I felt really good. I was able to command my fastball after those first two, and then aside from that, was happy to get it under my belt.”
Kopech, the No. 3 prospect in the organization according to MLB.com, got Eli White and Isiah Kiner-Falefa on grounders to second, then struck out Greg Bird looking to end the inning. His final pitch registered 101 mph.
“The adrenaline was a big factor,” Kopech said. “I don’t think I’m typically going to be throwing as hard as I did (Tuesday). I don’t want to take anything away from what I did. I’m proud of it. I’m excited. But moving forward I’m not going to try to be a power pitcher, I’m going to try to be a pitcher.”
He wrapped up the day by throwing 10 more pitches in the bullpen.
“My pregame bullpen, I was kind of shaky and inconsistent,” said Kopech, whose next scheduled start is Sunday against the Mariners in Peoria, Ariz. “So they wanted me to touch up on some stuff and make sure I was repeating what I was doing.”
He used a modified windup Tuesday.
“I felt like I had too many moving parts and my head moved a lot before,” Kopech said. “I’m comfortable doing it that way. No one has really said if they like it or dislike it, so I’m going to take it as they like it for now. But if there’s anything we need to modify moving forward, we’ll do that.”
Kopech made four starts for the Sox in 2018 after they called him up from Triple-A Charlotte in August. He allowed only one run in 11 innings over his first three starts but gave up seven runs on nine hits, including four home runs, in 3? innings on Sept. 5. He was diagnosed with a torn right ulnar collateral ligament the next day and underwent surgery Sept. 18.
He had thrown bullpen sessions and live batting practice against teammates this spring before Tuesday’s start.
“Certainly the best teacher you are going to have in any sport or anything you do is actually performing and participating,” Sox manager Rick Renteria said before the game. “We don’t want him to get overly anxious, and I think he’s managed his emotions and controlling everything very, very well. He understands … there is a process and he has to take every step necessary.
“The organization has done a great job of (putting) him in a really good place moving forward. The time will come and we will all be happy when it ultimately plays itself out to where he’s on the South Side.”
Kopech isn’t pressing the team for a timeline.
“They have a plan in mind, and if I don’t fit into it right away, then I hope to fit into it at some point,” he said. “Right now I’m just going to do what I do, and hopefully they get me there at the right time.”
