With the best record in baseball going into today’s MLB games, the New York Yankees don’t need to play it too safe in the lead-up to the MLB trade deadline of July 30th. However, this also places the Bronx Bombers in a position to take a chance on youngsters who have promise.
On the other end of the scale, with an MLB-worst 18-53 record, the Chicago White Sox are one team that has emerged as a clear trade deadline seller. Teams are keeping an eye on a number of their players, but Michael Kopech, a former top pitching prospect, is drawing the most interest.
The Yankees are among the teams interested in trade for Kopech, and they have even sent scouts to observe the 28-year-old righty with a strong throwing arsenal, according to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score.
The Yankees are not the only team pursuing this, though. Levine notes that in addition to New York, the Philadelphia Phillies and Kansas City Royals have also been scouting the former first-round pick.
It’s thought that in any trade involving Kopech, the White Sox are asking for controllable starting pitching as they try to restock their roster with cheap talent.
Although Kopech has mostly been a starter, he has also been experimenting as a reliever in Chicago, where he has been the team’s closer. With a 4.91 ERA across 29.1 innings and a 5.66 FIP, he has had inconsistent success thus far. The advanced analytics don’t appear to be any better.
Although Kopech was originally thought to be the 10th-best baseball prospect, he has not yet reached his full potential. Nevertheless, other teams may still be able to get more out of the 6-foot-3 pitcher. With a potent supporting cast, the Yankees continue to have high expectations for Kopech and think he can establish himself as a major player on the team.
Leave a Reply