The Arizona Diamondbacks did well to bring back Zac Gallen, making sure their starting rotation is bolstered. However, they still need to address the depth in their bullpen.
Fansided’s Christopher Kline predicts the DBacks will do so by signing 2024 World Series champion reliever Michael Kopech. The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Edwin Diaz, so Kopech’s job was taken away, meaning he could be easy to grab for Arizona.
“There isn’t a reliever available with more upside than Michael Kopech, who throws very hard, has great breaking stuff, and does not turn 30 years old until late April. The reason Kopech remains available is likely because of his durability concerns…A team like the Arizona Diamondbacks should be willing to take the risk when it comes to Kopech. They hope to compete in 2026, but with their bullpen as constructed, doing so would be tough. Kopech adds immense upside to the back-end of that bullpen, and would likely be their closer if healthy,” Kline wrote.
This past season, Kopech only played in 14 games, but still posted a 2.45 ERA and 12 Ks. In 2024, he played 24 games for the Dodgers after being acquired at the trade deadline, and posted a 1.13 ERA, 29 Ks, a WHIP of 0.792, and six saves.
Kopech is projected to get a contract of around two-years, $13.5 million, and for Arizona, that could work quite nicely. He’d become their closer, and along with Gallen, provide major upgrades in the pitching staff for the DBacks.
Hopefully, they get him soon; otherwise, another contender that can see his talent will scoop him right up.
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