Roster includes 14 who will make Sox debut
The White Sox made their Opening Day roster official after the team worked out Wednesday at Guaranteed Rate Field.
As reported Monday, the Sox will open with nine relievers, not needing a fifth starter until their sixth game Wednesday, against the Braves.
The bullpen includes right-handers John Brebbia, Deivi Garcia, Michael Kopech, Jordan Leasure, Dominic Leone, Bryan Shaw and Steven Wilson and lefties Tanner Banks and Tim Hill.
The rotation is Garrett Crochet, Michael Soroka, Erick Fedde and Chris Flexen. Nick Nastrini, who did not make the roster, is the likely call-up from TripleA Charlotte to fill the fifth spot next week. The position players are catchers Korey Lee and Martin Maldonado; infielders
Paul DeJong, Nicky Lopez, Yoan Moncada, Gavin Sheets, Braden Shewmake and Andrew Vaughn; and outfielders Andrew Benintendi, Dominic Fletcher, Eloy Jimenez (designated hitter), Kevin Pillar
and Luis Robert Jr.
Fourteen of the 26 players — Brebbia, Leasure, Leone, Wilson, Hill, Soroka, Fedde, Flexen, Maldonado, DeJong, Lopez, Shewmake, Fletcher and Pillar — will make their Sox debuts.
Kopech’s role is TBD
Manager Pedro Grifol is holding a wild card in his hand in Kopech but is unsure how he’ll use it.
“Kopech will end up wherever he ends up,” Grifol said of how the starter-turnedreliever’s role will shake out. “He could end up in the ninth inning. He’s versatile. He’s in a good place right now and we’re not going to mess with that too much. We’ll see how it lines up.”
Some view Kopech as a potential closer. In relief, he can simplify to a two-pitch arsenal, which featured 101-mph velocity when he was moved from starter to reliever status in the middle of spring training.
“He’s in a really good place,” Grifol said. “Day one has to come, gotta get your feet wet, see what we got when the bell rings and start evaluating. Because this is competition, it’s evaluation, it’s making sure we put the right guys in the right places. And it’s continuous.”
Getz’s optimism
There are plenty of over/under win totals at 62 or 63 to be found for legal wagers on the Sox. As you’d expect, the Sox believe the over is a good play.
“You look at the offensive potential, if we can get these players to be the players they are and post on a regular basis, if we can get our core lineup playing 140-plus games, I do feel we’re going to be able to go out there and perhaps win more games than people believe,” general manager Chris
Getz said.
“We’ve raised the IQ of this team, without question. They’re going to run bases a certain way, we’re going to be able to take the extra base. Our pitchers are in a good spot because of where we are defensively, guys are going to be able to attack the zone because they feel comfortable pitching to contact if they need to do that. From top to bottom, we’ve got a roster that can go out there and beat any club on any night, or any day.”
This and that
Grifol said the left-handed Fletcher could get the bulk of the playing time in right but Pillar could be the choice against lefties. † Getz on catcher Max Stassi starting on the injured list with left hip soreness: “We don’t think it’s going to be too significant in regards to time being missed.”