4 White Sox trade targets for KC Royals (not named Luis Robert Jr.)

Michael Kopech

Where there is smoke, there is fire. There is enough smoke around White Sox reliever Michael Kopech; I must believe he is the first domino in Chicago's fire sale.

Kopech has reliever stuff, but he hasn't had much of a closing chance thanks to a losing Chicago squad. He has hit his own rough patch, but any trade suitor will be buying his potential and not his production over the next two or three weeks.

Kopech's best MLB season came in 2021 as a reliever. Since then, Chicago has tried to shoehorn him into the starting rotation, with mixed results across 2022 and 2023. He belongs at the rear of the bulkhead, and that is exactly what the Royals need right now.

Kopech is affordable and manageable, and that is before we even talk about his bat-missing talent. He will make $3 million in 2024, and he will be eligible for arbitration again this winter before free agency in 2025. If any competitive club were to acquire Kopech for two pennant chases, they would have a power arm with a heater that frequently reaches triple digits, a slider that misses bats, and a cutter that has been effective thus far.

Kevin O'Brien, otherwise known as The Royals Reporter, took an excellent look at who Kopech is this season and what he brings to Kansas City's bullpen. I am likely more bullish on Kopech than O'Brien, but dang it, his stance is logical.

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