Michael Kopech undergoes surgery to remove a cyst from his right knee, ending the Chicago White Sox pitcher’s season

Michael Kopech worked as an opener Wednesday for the Chicago White Sox at Nationals Park.

It turned out to be his final outing of the season. The Sox on Friday placed the right-hander on the injured list with right knee inflammation.

“It had been bothering him the whole year,” manager Pedro Grifol said before Friday’s game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. “He’s been treating that the whole year. It was just time to get him back on the mound (Wednesday), let him start a game and finish off on a good note and then go get it fixed to make sure he has a good offseason.”

Kopech underwent surgery Friday morning to remove a cyst from his right knee in a procedure performed at Rush Oak Brook Surgery Center by Dr. Nikhil Verma, the lead team doctor. The Sox said Kopech’s full recovery time is expected to take six to eight weeks.

Kopech went 5-12 with a 5.43 ERA in 30 games (27 starts) this season. Control was an issue. He had 134 strikeouts in 129 1/3 innings but an American League-leading 91 walks.

“It definitely affected him,” Grifol said of the injury. “To what extent, not real sure. Only he knows that. It definitely affected him. There were times he missed some time because of it. That was a part of it all.”

Kopech underwent surgery in late September 2022 to address what the team called an “issue with (his right) meniscus.” He did a little bit of it all on the mound in 2023, seeing time as a starter, a reliever and an opener.

Kopech showed some signs of dominance, such as when he allowed one hit in eight innings against the Kansas City Royals on May 19 at Guaranteed Rate Field.

But his longest outing in his last five starts before a short stint in the bullpen was 4 1/3 innings. He lasted just 1 2/3 innings on Sept. 3 at Guaranteed Rate Field against the Detroit Tigers, allowing two runs on one hit with five walks and two strikeouts. He threw 44 pitches and only 16 strikes.

He made three appearances as a reliever (Sept. 9, 12 and 15) totaling 2 2/3 innings.

His final outing turned out to be Wednesday as the opener against the Nationals. He allowed one unearned run on one hit with the one strikeout and hit one batter. Nine of his 14 pitches were strikes.

“I saw one of the best pitchers in baseball for a while and then I saw a guy who was battling through some mechanical stuff and physical stuff and mental stuff and then I saw him finish OK,” Grifol said of Kopech’s 2023. “Hopefully he can get into the offseason and put it all together and come back.

“We need him. We’re counting on him.”

The plan is for Kopech to be in the rotation in 2024.

“I will always view him as a starter until it’s time to not view him as one,” Grifol said. “I’ve been in the game a long time and that’s one thing I’ve learned and I’ll never not want to exhaust every opportunity that we possibly can to make a starter or keep a starter until we have to.

“Good thing is he’s got value and he can have value in both.”

In Friday’s corresponding move, the Sox called up pitcher Yohan Ramírez from Triple-A Charlotte. The 28-year-old right-hander went 1-0 with a 3.67 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 26 relief appearances during three stints with the Pittsburgh Pirates this season before being designated for assignment Sept. 1. The Sox claimed him off waivers on Sept. 5.

He made four appearances with Charlotte, allowing four earned runs in 4 2/3 innings.

Ramírez is 6-4 with a 3.83 ERA, six saves and 124 strikeouts in 97 career relief appearances during four major-league seasons with the Seattle Mariners (2020-22), Cleveland Guardians (2022) and Pirates (2022-23).

Grifol said Ramírez had “plus-plus movement” and “a good slider.”

“He’s got to stay in the strike zone,” Grifol said. “But he’s got some electric stuff. The ball really, really moves. Does different things. I’m excited to watch him pitch.”

Sox announce baseball operations additions

The Sox on Friday announced the additions of Josh Barfield, Brian Bannister and Gene Watson to their baseball operations staff.

Barfield has been hired as assistant general manager, Bannister as senior adviser to pitching and Watson as director of player personnel.

“All three are highly respected baseball executives who bring different backgrounds, accomplishments and points of view to our department,” general manager Chris Getz said in a statement. “Josh is a real rising front office star, Brian is recognized as one of the top pitching minds in the game and Gene is acknowledged as one of the best talent evaluators in baseball.

“I am excited for them to get started working together as we define our new vision for the future and create a path to success for the White Sox organization.”

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