White Sox set Opening Day roster

The White Sox Opening Day roster was made official after the team worked out at Guaranteed Rate Field Wednesday in advance of Opening Day.

As reported Monday, the Sox will open with nine relievers, not needing a fifth starter until their sixth game next Wednesday, against the Braves.

The bullpen includes right-handers John Brebbia, Deivi García, Michael Kopech, Jordan Leasure, Dominic Leone, Bryan Shaw and Steven Wilson and lefties Tanner Banks and Tim Hill.

The starting rotation is Garrett Crochet, Michael Soroka, Erick Fedde and Chris Flexen. Nick Nastrini, who did not make the roster, is the likely callup from Triple-A Charlotte to fill the fifth spot next week.

Position players include catchers Korey Lee and Martín Maldonado; infielders Paul DeJong, Nicky Lopez, Yoán Moncada, Gavin Sheets, Braden Shewmake and Andrew Vaughn; and outfielders Andrew Benintendi, Dominic Fletcher, Eloy Jiménez (the desigated 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, TBD

Manager Pedro Grifol is holding a wild card in his hand in Michael Kopech but is unsure how he’ll use it.

“Kopech will end up wherever he ends up,” Grifol said of how the starter-turned reliever’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 relied 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’ optimism

There are plenty of over/under wins settings 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 Wednesday. “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

The left-handed Fletcher could get the bulk of playing time in right field but Pillar could be the choice against lefties, including Thursday, Grifol indicated.

*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.”

 
TIGERS AT SOX

Thursday: Tarik Skubal 0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Garrett Crochet (0.00), 3:10 p.m., NBCSCH, 1000-AM

Saturday: Kenta Maeda (0-0, 0.00) vs. Michael Soroka (0-0, 0.00), 1:10 p.m., NBCSCH, 1000-AM

Sunday: Jack Flaherty (0-0, 0.00) vs. Erick Fedde (0-0, 0.00), 1:10 p.m., NBCSCH, 1000-AM

White Sox projected Opening Day lineup

Andrew Benintendi LF

Yoan Moncada 3B

Luis Robert CF

Eloy Jimenez DH

Andrew Vaughn 1B

Paul DeJong SS

Kevin Pillar RF

Martin Maldonado C

Nicky Lopez 2B

Garrett Crochet P