Seeing as Michael Kopech hadn’t arrived in Chicago to participate in team workouts with the White Sox, today’s news that the right-handed pitcher is opting out of the 2020 season isn’t a blind-sided punch to fans but it doesn’t suck any less.
The White Sox announced Kopech’s decision Friday afternoon, saying the pitcher will not play this year because of personal reasons.
But the bad news didn’t stop there. The White Sox then released a statement announcing that third baseman Yoan Moncada and right-handed pitcher Jose Ruiz were placed on the 10-day injured list.
While the White Sox have been consistent in saying that Kopech wasn’t around for personal reasons, manager Rick Renteria wouldn’t give any details or other vague answers regarding Moncada’s absence from the team. Last week the White Sox did reveal that two players had tested positive for COVID-19, and since then everyone’e been connecting the dots and most fans believe Moncada was one of those two players to have the coronavirus.
Whatever the case may be, Opening Day is two weeks away as the White Sox are scheduled to begin the season July 24, against the Twins. So, that means the earliest Moncada can return to participate in team workouts is July 20, just four days before the first game of the season.
Yeah, Moncada can still be training on his own, but not having any live reps for an additional extended period of time certainly can’t be good for his readiness once the season begins.
As part of the COVID-19 protocols set by MLB, a player has to test negative on consecutive tests if they test positive for it in order to return to their respective team.
