Infestation notes: Kopech, Pasquantino, Ashcraft, Tigers

The white socks start mode Michael Kubisch On the list of injured for 15 days this afternoon due to a strain in the left knee. Right seemed to suffer the injury during the warm-ups before yesterday’s start against the Royals, and his pace was pretty low while out. Kopech did not score an exit, allowing a two-stroke, walk-and-hit and a hitter before coming off a 6-4 final loss. Alarmingly as this offer was, Chicago Sun-Times’ Daryl Van Schoen reports that the club expects Kopech to return when he first qualifies two weeks from now (Twitter link).

Even minimal IL isn’t ideal for a Chicago team that entered play Tuesday three games behind from the Guardians at AL Central. Kopech was one of the club’s most effective bowlers, holding 3.58 ERAs through 110 2/3 innings (and a mark of 3.25 if one threw yesterday’s performance as an anomaly). However, Kopech’s strike and walk numbers haven’t been impressive, and there are lingering questions about how many rounds the 26-year-old might be equipped to throw this year. He mainly worked in relief last season and scored 69 1/3 frames during his first season after losing all 2019-20. He has already exceeded that mark by more than 40 rounds this year.

Learn about some other infection cases around the game:

• The Royals Rookie Rookie Hitter Mode / First Baseman Vinnie Pasquantino On the list of injured for 10 days due to discomfort in the right shoulder this afternoon. Like Kubis, the 24-year-old was injured in yesterday’s game between Chicago and Kansas City. After the 2021 season broke out in junior high, Pasquantino emerged as one of the game’s top offensive prospects before this year. He mashed in Triple-A and hit the ground running as a top player, carrying .263/.350/.434 showing with eight home runs and an excellent mix of walks (11%) and turbulences (13.5%) through his first 200 MLB board appearances. The left hitter looks like a long-term key piece for the Kansas City team as they turn their attention firmly towards 2023. A potential top teammate Nick Prato Must capture first base playing time in the absence of Pascantino, while Ryan O’Hearn And the Hunter Dozer You may get the majority of DH at-bats. Kansas City has not set a timetable for Pasquantino’s return.
• reds beginning Graham Ashcraft She fell on the injured list for 15 days, retroactively to August 20, with soreness in her biceps. The rising right-back is heading for an MRI, but captain David Bale indicated the club were optimistic about his ability to return before the end of the season (Via Bobby Nightingale of the Cincinnati Inquirer). The 24-year-old made his league debut in May and joined Nick Ludlow And the Hunter Green Like the rising gears for the Reds. With 16 starts, the heavy-hitting pitcher has a 3.97 ERA on the strength of an excellent ballpark average of 54.8%. Ashcraft seems to have made a strong case for a rotation role next season, generally outperforming both Lodolo and Greene – both highly regarded by most would-be evaluators.
• The tigers Putting second man base Jonathan Scope In the injured list for 10 days, retrospectively to August 21, with a right ankle sprain. It’s the first assignment in IL in two years for the veteran player, who has played in less than 95% of Detroit’s games since the start of 2021. Scoop posted above-average numbers last year to get a contract extension in August, but he got an aggressively shocking bid this season. Over 447 board appearances, he only made .202/.235/.318 with nine home runs. Defensive metrics fascinated him with his gauntlet action in the cornerstone, but no other qualifying hitter is within 19 points of the league’s worst-ranked batsman. He will likely exercise the $7.5 million player option this winter to return to the club for 2023.
• stick to tigersDirector AJ Hinch cast doubt on the ability to see the catcher Jake Rogers this chapter (Via Cody Stavenhagen from Athletic). Rogers underwent Tommy John’s surgery last September, and spent the entire year on the injured list for 60 days during rehab. It’s been almost a year since that operation. The 27-year-old Rogers hit .182/.264/.378 in 255 appearances between 2019 and 21.