Michael Kopech

Michael Kopech

28-Year-Old PitcherRP
Los Angeles Dodgers
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Kopech took a major step back in 2023 with a 5.43 ERA, 1.59 WHIP and 15.4 percent walk rate in 129 innings. He started in 27 of his 30 outings but was out of the rotation by early September, and his season ended a week early for knee surgery. The right-hander had a decent first half with a 4.08 ERA, but even at his best it was often a challenge to get through five innings due to the walk issues. Kopech seems likely to get another shot as a starter heading into 2024, but with the lingering durability concerns and control problems, there's no guarantee he'll receive that opportunity. Fantasy managers could do worse for a late-round flier, but he's mostly an upside play with a low floor. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Rest of Season From Preseason
#394
ADP
$Signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the White Sox in January of 2024. Traded to the Dodgers in July of 2024.
Secures 15th save
PLos Angeles Dodgers
September 26, 2024
Kopech picked up the save over the Padres on Wednesday, allowing one walk over a scoreless ninth inning while striking out one.
ANALYSIS
Kopech relieved Blake Treinen to open the ninth and retired the first two batters on five pitches before surrendering a walk to Jake Cronenworth. The right-hander was then able to strike out Donovan Solano for the final out to lock down his 15th save of the campaign and his third in the month of September. Kopech has now allowed at least one baserunner in five-consecutive appearances and at least one free pass in four of his last five. However, he's also converted each of his last seven save opportunities, with his last blown save coming back on July 7 against the Marlins.
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Pitching Stats
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2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2024 MLB Game Log
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2023 MLB Game Log
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2021 MLB Game Log
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Pitching Appearances Breakdown
Average Pitch Count
17
Last 10 Games
15
Last 5 Games
14
How many pitches does Michael Kopech generally throw?
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
What part of the game does Michael Kopech generally pitch?
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
% Games Reaching Innings Threshold
% Games By Number of Innings Pitched
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-4%
BAA vs LHP
2024
 
 
-32%
BAA vs LHP
2023
 
 
-6%
BAA vs LHP
2022
 
 
-13%
BAA vs RHP
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2022vs Left .208 647 190 98 111 24 3 21
Since 2022vs Right .217 717 137 84 133 18 0 32
2024vs Left .153 141 55 18 18 2 0 4
2024vs Right .224 138 33 16 26 2 0 5
2023vs Left .231 291 73 50 54 10 2 12
2023vs Right .245 300 61 41 61 11 0 17
2022vs Left .214 215 62 30 39 12 1 5
2022vs Right .186 279 43 27 46 5 0 10
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-23%
ERA at Home
2024
 
 
-36%
ERA at Home
2023
 
 
-12%
ERA at Home
2022
 
 
-29%
ERA at Home
ERA WHIP IP W L SV K/9 BB/9 HR/9
Since 2022Home 3.80 1.21 177.2 5 14 10 9.3 4.8 1.5
Since 2022Away 4.93 1.52 138.2 11 15 5 9.3 5.6 1.5
2024Home 2.79 1.09 38.2 2 3 10 10.5 4.4 1.2
2024Away 4.34 1.24 29.0 4 5 5 13.3 4.7 1.2
2023Home 5.12 1.51 70.1 1 6 0 10.5 5.9 2.2
2023Away 5.80 1.69 59.0 4 6 0 7.9 6.9 1.8
2022Home 3.01 0.98 68.2 2 5 0 7.3 3.9 1.0
2022Away 4.26 1.48 50.2 3 4 0 8.7 4.8 1.2
More Splits View More Split Stats
Stat Review
How does Michael Kopech compare to other relievers?
This section compares his stats with all relief pitcher seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 30 innings)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 30 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • K/BB
    Strikeout to walk ratio.
  • K/9
    Average strikeouts per nine innings.
  • BB/9
    Average walks per nine innings.
  • HR/9
    Average home runs allowed per nine innings.
  • Fastball
    Average fastball velocity.
  • ERA
    Earned run average. The average earned runs allowed per nine innings.
  • WHIP
    Walks plus hits per inning pitched.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many balls in play against a pitcher go for hits.
  • GB/FB
    Groundball to flyball ratio. The higher the number, the more likely a pitcher is to induce groundballs.
  • Left On Base
    The percentage of base runners that a pitcher strands on base over the course of a season.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Barrels/BBE
    The percentage of batted ball events resulting in a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Spin Rate
    Spin Rate is the rate of spin on a baseball after it is released. It is measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).
  • Balls Hit 95+ MPH
    The percentage of batted balls hit that met or exceeded the 95 MPH threshold.
  • Swinging Strike
    The percentage of pitches that result in a swing and a miss.
K/BB
2.59
 
K/9
11.7
 
BB/9
4.5
 
HR/9
1.2
 
Fastball
98.8 mph
 
ERA
3.46
 
WHIP
1.15
 
BABIP
.254
 
GB/FB
0.86
 
Left On Base
78.0%
 
Exit Velocity
82.6 mph
 
Barrels/BBE
5.0%
 
Spin Rate
2584 rpm
 
Balls Hit 95+ MPH
20.1%
 
Swinging Strike
14.6%
 
Prospect Rankings History
Advanced Pitching Stats
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Defensive Stats
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Stats Vs Today's Lineup
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
Kopech returned to a big-league mound in 2021 for the first time in three years and excelled as a reliever, and he continued that success in the starting rotation last year. The right-hander made only 19 starts while he dealt with knee and shoulder issues, but when available he pitched well with a 3.54 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 105:57 K:BB across 119.1 innings. He unsurprisingly saw his velocity drop 2.5 mph from his year out of the bullpen, and with it his strikeout rate dropped from 36.1 percent to 21.3 percent. The underlying numbers are a bit less encouraging, as he had a 4.83 xFIP and .223 BABIP, which could indicate he's due for some regression. Kopech continues to rely heavily on his fastball and slider and may not be able to take that next step until he's able to mix in an effective third pitch more often, which has eluded him to this point.
Kopech was a giant unknown heading into the 2021 season. When last we saw him, he left his final start after his promotion from the minors with an injury in 2018 which required Tommy John surgery to fix. He missed the 2019 season rehabbing, and opted out of the 2020 season due to health concerns. He came into 2021 as a reliever, something he had never done as a professional, and absolutely flourished in the role from a real baseball perspective. His success did not exactly translate into much fantasy success outside of his strikeout total, but he quickly reminded us what his right arm is capable of doing when it is healthy. Now the question will be: can he transition back to the rotation? If so, what will it look like? An effective third pitch has thus far eluded him, and that challenge along with the jump in workload may just make him a risk you let others take.
Kopech threw one clean five-pitch inning last spring during Cactus League play, which marks his lone game action in over two years. He needed Tommy John surgery in September 2018 after a brief cup of coffee and opted out of the 2020 season due to the pandemic. He will be 30 months removed from TJS this spring. New pitching coach Ethan Katz said in December that Kopech is feeling great and the team expects him to compete for a rotation spot in camp. Kopech's arm should be healthy and fresh, but considering he has been unable to build up his workload, the White Sox will probably have to devise a creative way of managing him this season. Kopech has an 80-grade fastball, plus slider, improving changeup and shaky control. He is the type of pitching prospect who could dominate any team over six innings or get chased by any team before making it out of the third inning.
Since 2000, of six starting pitchers who had their first Tommy John surgery in September, as Kopech did in 2018, the average innings pitched in the season that began 18 months later was 101.2. Two of the six (Mike Hampton, Scott Mathieson) did not make it back at all during what should have been their comeback years. Kopech has an 80-grade fourseam fastball with elite spin and will flash a plus slider and plus changeup. However, his command and control are fringe-average at best. Considering command is often the last thing to return for pitchers coming off TJS, we should not panic if he is wild in spring training or even the first couple months of the season. He is undeniably a flyball pitcher, so home runs will sometimes follow his walks and hit batsmen. This is not the year to expect quality ratios, but there will be a lot of strikeouts if he is lucky enough to avoid setbacks when he starts to ramp up.
Chicago's tantalizing fireballer grinded his way to a late-season MLB debut, battling control issues at Triple-A for much of the season. The excitement was short lived, as he required Tommy John surgery in mid-September. Kopech gave up a run on 11 hits and one walk while hitting five batters and striking out nine over 11 innings in his first three MLB starts (two were cut short by rain). He was pummeled in his final start, which also included a rain delay before he tore his UCL. There is a lot of noise in his tiny MLB sample -- elbow issues resulted in his velocity ticking down in each successive start and only one was unaffected by rain -- but in his debut outing his 96.8 mph four-seamer averaged 2,629 rpm -- Justin Verlander led qualified starters at 2,618 rpm. He also flashed a plus slider and plus changeup. Kopech will miss all of 2019 and with a normal recovery he will be fully healthy for spring training in 2020 -- 17-plus months removed from the surgery.
Last year Kopech's doubters thought he would end up as a high-leverage reliever, but now he seems more likely to wind up on the cover of GQ than in a big-league bullpen. There are reasonable arguments for a couple other hurlers (Forrest Whitley and Alex Reyes), but Kopech will be ranked by most as the top pitching prospect in the game this offseason. In addition to his famed 80-grade fastball, which he can dial up to triple digits with ease, Kopech made massive strides with his slider and changeup. Both secondaries now project as plus offerings, and with improving command, a future No. 1 starter is coming into focus. The White Sox kept him at Double-A for most of 2017, but rewarded his improvement with a three-start run at Triple-A to close out the year. He will return to Charlotte, but he should spend the bulk of 2018 in the big-league rotation. His immediate floor is a high-strikeout ratio risk, but if he throws enough strikes, he could be an SP2 on a per-start basis.
Kopech made headlines in 2016, both bad and good. The bad was breaking his hand in spring training while getting into an altercation with a teammate, delaying his start to the season until July. Between this incident and missing 50 games of development in 2015 due to testing positive for a banned substance, there were some makeup questions dogging him. Once the 6-foot-3 right-hander started pitching, the good headlines started. His calling card is an overpowering fastball that touches triple digits. He breezed through Carolina League hitters, striking out 82 in 52 innings (14.2 K/9) and was clearly one of the top prospects in the Arizona Fall League. It is easy to see why the White Sox insisted Kopech be part of the deal for Chris Sale. Commanding the heater (5.0 BB/9 in 2016) in addition to improving the secondary offerings and building up innings (134.2 in three seasons) make up his to-do list for 2017.
Kopech is one of Boston’s better pitching prospects at the lower levels of the organization, projecting as a No. 2 starter if it all clicks for him. He was given a challenging assignment to Low-A Greenville to start the season and was successful at that level, finishing 4-5 with a 2.63 ERA while striking out 70 in 65 innings. The bad news is that Kopech was suspended 50 games for testing positive for Oxilofrine, a stimulant in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The suspension wiped out the rest of his regular season, leaving him only an option of working out at team’s training facility in Fort Myers. He was able to work on a few things there, in particular his off-speed stuff and ironing out his mechanics. Kopech participated in the Fall Instructional League, making up for some lost development time. His major areas of focus in 2016 are repeating his delivery, commanding his fastball and refining the secondary stuff. He’ll likely open at Greenville.
Kopech was the second of Boston's two first-round picks in the 2014 draft. Coming out of high school, he was immediately assigned to the Gulf Coast League, where he held opponents to a measly .216 average and .255 slugging percentage. His problems with control and command were evident -- nine walks in 13.2 innings -- but his mid-90s heater (touching 97-98 mph) was effective against other rookies. Kopech has a lot of moving parts to his delivery, but has already worked to correct some of that. His secondary pitches are works in progress, but his raw stuff gives him a high ceiling if it can be harnessed. The Red Sox may challenge him at Low-A Greenville in 2015 for his first full-season assignment.
More Fantasy News
Grabs 14th save
PLos Angeles Dodgers
September 20, 2024
Kopech allowed one run on one hit and struck out one over one inning to earn the save in Friday's 6-4 win over the Rockies.
ANALYSIS
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Picks up win
PLos Angeles Dodgers
September 16, 2024
Kopech (6-8) got the win over Atlanta on Sunday, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out two in a scoreless inning.
ANALYSIS
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Walks three in 13th save
PLos Angeles Dodgers
September 12, 2024
Kopech picked up the save over the Cubs on Wednesday, allowing one run on three walks over one inning while striking out one.
ANALYSIS
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Fans two for 12th save
PLos Angeles Dodgers
August 29, 2024
Kopech picked up the save over the Orioles on Wednesday, striking out two over a perfect ninth inning.
ANALYSIS
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Needs rest, but fine physically
PLos Angeles Dodgers
August 19, 2024
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Sunday that Kopech is "gassed" and will be held out from pitching for a few days, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Using slider more in LA
PLos Angeles Dodgers
September 13, 2024
Kopech has utilized his slider more since being acquired by the Dodgers and has a 1.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP and 22:7 K:BB over 18 innings since the trade, per Sam Blum of The Athletic.
ANALYSIS
The right-hander still heavily relies on his four-seam fastball -- which has the highest usage of his career at 79.1 percent -- but he's mostly ditched his cutter in favor of the slider since heading to Los Angeles. Kopech had a 4.74 ERA in 43 appearances with the White Sox this season, but he's showcased his potential with the Dodgers and quickly worked his way into the closer committee.
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