The Chicago White Sox will shut down Michael Kopech through the All-Star break, placing the right-hander on the 15-day injured list with shoulder inflammation.
Chicago purchased the contract of veteran right-hander Bryan Shaw from Triple-A Charlotte, while infielder Romy Gonzalez (shoulder) was moved to the 60-day IL.
White Sox manager Pedro Grifol told reporters in Oakland that Kopech is expected to rejoin the rotation immediately after the All-Star break ends in the middle of the month with a three-game series at Atlanta.
“We just wanted to skip him [in the rotation] one more time and just make sure that he’s ready to go for the second half, strong the whole second half,” Grifol said.
Kopech, 27, was in line to make his next start Sunday against the Athletics but has not been with the team. He is 3-7 with a 4.08 ERA in 16 starts this season, giving up a major league leading 49 walks. He last pitched Thursday on the road against the Los Angeles Angels, needing 102 pitches to get through four innings and walking seven.
“We gave him a seven-day break and he came back and had three or four great games,” Grifol said. “We’re going to give him another break, get that second wind, kind of regroup and take the ball in the second half.”
In four seasons with Chicago, Kopech is 13-20 with a 3.77 ERA in 89 appearances (49 starts).
Shaw, 35, has not pitched in the major leagues this season after going 6-2 with a 5.40 ERA in 60 appearances (two starts) with the Cleveland Guardians last season. Over 12 major league seasons, including seven with Cleveland, he is 43-45 with a 3.92 ERA in 753 appearances (two starts). He is third among all active players in appearances.
Gonzalez, 26, was batting .194 with three home runs and 14 RBIs in 44 games this season before he went down with shoulder inflammation.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Source: www.espn.com