A number of teams, including the Royals, the Phillies, and the Yankees, are showing interest in closer Michael Kopech. The White Sox are one of the few teams in the game that are transparently selling their position. Following his 52 starts with the Chicago Sox in the 2022-23 season, Kopech, who is now 28 years old, is currently in his first season as a full-time reliever. Despite the fact that he has assumed the job of the primary closer for the squad, he has only managed to record five saves so far this season. His performance in the bullpen has been solid, but he has recently experienced a difficult patch, as he has allowed eight earned runs over the course of his last six and a third innings.
Kopech has a power arsenal that allows him to miss bats in droves, despite the fact that his mark is not particularly impressive. This past season, he hit his heater with an average speed of 98.7 miles per hour and knocked out 32.3% of his opponents. With a swinging strike rate of 14.1%, he is significantly higher than the average for the league. Furthermore, Kopech is not only inexpensive but also easy to operate, in addition to his bat-missing talent. Prior to entering free agency at the conclusion of the 2025 season, he earned $3 million in 2024 and would be eligible for arbitration once more during the winter of this year.
At the beginning of June, the Royals have already begun to investigate the bullpen market. However, due to the fact that they are a division opponent of the White Sox, it may be more difficult for them to reach an agreement with Kansas City than it would be with Philadelphia, New York, or any other clubs who are interested in luring Kopech away from the South Siders. When it comes to the earned run average of their bullpens, the Phillies and the Yankees are both among the top ten teams in Major League Baseball. The Phillies are known for their emphasis on strikeouts, while the Yankees have the third-best ground-ball rate of any club.
The Royals, the Phillies, and the Yankees are just three of the numerous teams that are considering making a move for Kopech as the trade deadline draws near. The deadline for making trades is the next month.
