White Sox right-hander Jimmy Lambert, who was hampered by a sore right ankle during the season, will undergo an arthroscopic procedure to remove a bone spur next week.
Recovery time will be a few weeks, and Lambert will go to spring training without restrictions. The spur restricted Lambert’s push off the rubber, and likely caused diminished velocity in his most recent appearances in August and early September.
Lambert possesses a four-pitch mix and was a starter in 92 of the 106 minor-leagues games he has pitched and could be viewed as a potential starter in 2024. If not, the Sox view him as a multiple-innings reliever.
“We definitely think he can pitch multiple innings and provide length and will prepare for spring training to do so,” general manager Chris Getz said.
Lambert posted a 5.26 ERA with 41 strikeouts and 20 walks in 37⅓ innings this season after pitching to a 3.26 ERA in 42 games in 2023.
Crochet transferred to Charlotte
Left-hander Garrett Crochet’s rehab assignment was transferred to Triple-A Charlotte after he made six appearances with Double-A Birmingham, where the 2020 first-round draft choice allowed four earned runs and struck out 11 in six innings.
Crochet has been on the 15-day IL since June 17 with left shoulder inflammation.
Kopech in relief
Michael Kopech walked a batter and allowed a hit in his second relief appearance against the Royals in Game 2 of a doupleheader split Tuesday, but manager Pedro Grifol liked that the struggling right-hander’s velocity touched 98 three times.
“It’s not all about velocity, a lot has to do with command,” Grifol said. “But sometimes you can get away with some of that command stuff later on in the game if your velocity and your slider is good.
“He started off, velocity was high and then it dropped off to about 94-95. But it was OK.”
More than anything, Grifol and Getz want to see Kopech finish the season physically strong going into next season, which is why the velocity was big for Grifol. Kopech’s four-seam fastball averaged 98 mph when he pitched in relief in 2021. This season, he averaged 95 as a starter.
“There’s nothing physically wrong with him, it’s just getting back to work his mechanics and getting him comfortable repeating a delivery,” Grifol said.
Wanted: Slide step
The Royals stole three bases Tuesday against Kopech, who needs to develop a slide step from the stretch to shorten jumps. The plan is for him to be a starter next season.
“He worked on it early on this year as a starter,” Grifol said. “Was actually doing a good job with it. But as things started to unfold for him mechanically, we kind of just tried to concentrate on one thing. A team like [the Royals] can expose you in the running game if you don’t have a slide step.”
This and that
The Sox (56-90) lost the series to the Royals (46-102), as well as the season series, going 6-7 against the worst team in baseball. The Royals outscored the Sox 73-55 this season.
• Mike Clevinger was 9-0 lifetime with a 2.16 ERA against the Royals before taking the loss.
• Paid attendance on Dog Night at Guaranteed Rate Field was 15,593, plus 308 canines.
