Tigers 10, White Sox 2: Michael Kopech suffers first loss

For the third time in as many starts at Guaranteed Rate Field, a rain delay interrupted Michael Kopech’s night.

This time, it was short enough that it didn’t end his night. Instead, the Tigers took care of that part with five straight hits to start the fourth inning, including three homers on three kinds of pitches. Mikie Mahtook turned on an inside fastball and homered to left to start the inning. After James McCann singled, Ronny Rodriguez clobbered a hanging curve for a two-run shot, and JaCoby Jones then rode a high fastball the opposite way to make it back-to-back.

Dawel Lugo then shot a double to right, and while Kopech struck out Jeimer Candelario for one out, Jim Adduci’s double scored Detroit’s sixth and final run of the frame, ending Kopech’s evening.

Kopech probably would’ve taken his first career loss if he hadn’t returned from the delay, as he gave up a solo shot to Candelario to start the game. The Tigers seemed to be on his fastball, which topped out at just 96 mph. He was able to get some swings and misses on his breaking stuff, but he also hung his share of it. The 26-minute interruption probably didn’t help, but it seems like he should get used to terrible weather.

This one had one other delay and one other struggling rookie pitcher, as Caleb Frare allowed four of the five batters he faced to reach, and three came around to score, including one on Jose Ruiz’s watch.

Ruiz’s allowed Frare’s runner to cross, but he kept his own ERA pristine in his White Sox debut, working around two hits and a walk over 1 1/3 innings thanks in part to two strikeouts.

The White Sox, who had clobbered Jordan Zimmerman for more than a run an inning over their first four meetings, couldn’t score anything on him through five. They could only scratch across two hits and a walk, as he and the Detroit bullpen induced plenty of grounders.

They might’ve been shut out if it weren’t for Detroit’s defense. With one out, Ronny Rodriguez snared Matt Davidson’s grounder and had a chance to start a 5-4-3 double play, but he couldn’t get a clean exchange and ended up firing the ball into foul territory in right field. Welington Castillo scored all the way from first, and Davidson reached third, scoring two batters later on Jose Rondon’s flared single.

Bullet points:

*The White Sox went 7-12 against the Tigers in the season series. We’ll see if this factors into the draft order at all.

*The Sox were also officially eliminated from postseason contention with this loss.

*The Tigers outhit the Sox 16-5.

*Yolmer Sanchez failed to reach base safely, ending his streak at 23 games.

*Ryan Cordell is still searching for his first hit, as Mahtook mah-stole one from him with a diving catch in center.

*The rain delays were 28 and 33 minutes long.

Record: 56-84 | Box score

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The Wimperoo

Mikie Mahtook has an OPS over 1.000 versus the Sox. Mikie Mahtook (repeated for effect).

Garyzenker

Why is Castillo batting 3rd when he is just coming off 3 months off and catching Kopech who he has never caught ?

ForsterFTOG

Still waiting to see flashes of electric stuff from Kopech. Hope he’s just nervous or tired.

oljeto

Mentioned it before, but with the Angels coming to town, it’s time to start the Mike Trout discussion. Out here in LA, the morning paper is dominated by the Ohtani elbow discussion. With him out, the Angels have no chance to contend next year. That means that Trout will be entering his final year never having played in a meaningful game. He gone!
But the Angels know they cannot do a ground up rebuild without losing even more market share to the hated Dodgers. They need a quick fix (again).
By fix, I mean bodies–young and beaming with potential. Pujols and crew are nearing Social Security.
That means that a deal that brings them back 3/4 players that are ready now would make them take a Trout trade discussion very, very seriously.
Avi, Yoyo, Gio/Rey should do it.
The Sox must know that you cannot build a championship starting pitcher roster from within. Look at recent and current contenders. They all BOUGHT their aces–Lister, Verlander, Sale, Porcello.
With Trout and Eloy in the outfield and Abreu, Rondon, Timmy and Yolmer in the infield, and a catching crew that has proven they can hit over the past two years (now they have to learn to catch the call), they would have the offense.
They have the cash to buy another proven difference maker in both the outfield and infield.
Trade youth for one more established starter and they walk away with the Central.
Oops, forgot about the manager. Okay, they walk away with 2nd.

roke1960

I would imagine Trout would cost Kopech/Eloy/Moncada and a couple of other Top 15 prospects. No team will match what the Angels would want. They would have no interest in Avi. The Sox best bet is to spend big on Machado, Harper, Rendon, or Arenado in the next two years, and supplement with a couple more solid veterans to go with the youth they have accumulated.

gibby32

Your sense of what it would cost in players to get Trout is laughable.