White Sox promote Kopech to Triple-A

Michael Kopech has proven he's ready for a new challenge since the July 4 holiday, and the White Sox have taken notice.
The team will promote its fireballing right-hander to Triple-A Charlotte for Monday's start in Norfolk. MLB.com's No. 12 prospect has already surpassed his career high in innings and has gotten stronger as the season progressed.

His 8-7 record, 2.87 ERA and 155 strikeouts over 119 1/3 innings are impressive enough, but Kopech has been especially good since allowing four earned runs in back-to-back starts June 29 and July 4.
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Over his last six outings, Kopech is 4-1 with a microscopic 0.66 ERA and 0.68 WHIP over 41 innings, striking out 54 batters while walking seven. He's issued two or fewer free passes in each of those starts after doing it five times in his first 16 outings and he's also gone seven innings in each of his past three starts while striking out at least 10 in three of his last four.
Kopech will be taking over the Triple-A roster spot of No. 6 White Sox prospectLucas Giolito, who will be promoted to Chicago to start one game of Monday's doubleheader against the Twins.

Giolito has struggled since ending the 2015 and 2016 campaigns as MLB.com's third-ranked prospect, but he's been in a groove since being lit up for five runs over 1 2/3 innings in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on July 20.
In the five starts since, the 2012 first-round pick of the Nationals has gone 3-1 with a 1.71 ERA and 28 strikeouts over 31 2/3 innings. He's lowered his ERA from 5.02 to 4.48 during that span and will try to keep it going against Minnesota, which is fighting for an AL Wild Card spot.