Chicago Sports

There’s a runaway favorite pair of baseball announcers in town, and many of you won’t be the least bit surprised at which pair it is.

In this week’s “Polling Place,” your home for Sun-Times sports polls on Twitter, we asked voters to pick a “best” between Pat Hughes and Ron Coomer (Cubs radio), Jon Sciambi and Jim Deshaies (Cubs TV), Len Kasper and Darrin Jackson (White Sox radio), and Jason Benetti and Steve Stone (Sox TV). Partners Benetti and Stone had a field day.

“The last-place finishers in this poll would be tops in a large number of markets,” @DavidLaurilaQA commented. “Chicago baseball fans are fortunate.”

No argument here.

We also pitted Cubs manager David Ross against Sox manager Tony La Russa — why not? — and asked voters to pick the most important thing when attending a baseball game. Is it the seats? The weather? The price? The outcome?

“A good game,” @a_gee_8 countered, “regardless of the seats, weather, price or who wins.”

That’s certainly one way of looking at it. On to the polls:

Poll No. 1: Which baseball booth is best?

Upshot: Benetti and Stone blend superstar quality with local authenticity, and the strength of their rapport is obvious and a huge plus. As long as Hughes has been at it, though, and as terrific as he is, it’s understandable that @mikewalsh4609 wishes he could pair him and Stone. Hey, what about sticking Kasper in a booth with Deshaies? Now there’s a wacky idea.

Poll No. 2: Your team has a chance to be good next year, but you have to pick David Ross or Tony La Russa to manage it. Who’s your guy?

Upshot: We cannot tell a lie — we are shocked by the size of the gap in these results. Is Hall-of-Famer La Russa really this poorly thought of? Asked @gprobst15, “Who is voting for Tony? Get help!” And @RVictory2020 took issue with the very premise, writing, “Not a fair question. By whose definition can you call what La Russa does ‘managing’?” Tough crowd.

Poll No. 3: What’s the most important thing at a baseball game?

Upshot: If you believe these results, watching your team lose on a beautiful day beats watching your team win in crummy conditions. For some serious sports fans, that might be hard to wrap the ol’ noggin around. Others might wonder how anything could top scoring sweet seats on the cheap (relatively speaking, of course). As for those of us who sit in the press box, disconnected from it all? We’re totally clueless.

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The Wolves have some mojo entering the Calder Cup Finals.

Well, more accurately, MoJo.

On April 13, Wolves star Andrew Poturalski and his wife, Haley, welcomed their first child, a son named Morrison John. The Poturalski family has taken to calling the newborn MoJo, and the Wolves haven’t lost a game he has attended at Allstate Arena.

“He’s brought some good mojo since he’s come to games,” Andrew Poturalski said. “We’re undefeated [at home] since he’s been at the games [in Rosemont]. It’s just awesome to have him there. We’ve got some cool pictures, and it’s definitely really special. It’ll also be really cool when he’s a little older and can appreciate it.”

Sunday will be Poturalski’s first Father’s Day as a dad, and his family will spend at least a part of it in Rosemont for Game 1 of the AHL’s Calder Cup Finals against the Springfield Thunderbirds. The Wolves, who had the best points percentage in the league during the regular season, have home-ice advantage in the series with a 2-3-2 format.

Poturalski, who had 28 goals and 73 assists, is trying to relish this moment.

“Right now, we’re super fortunate in our lives and life is pretty good, and we’ve got a lot of good things going for us,” Poturalski said. “I think people don’t appreciate stuff when you’re in the moment. It’s such a cool time in our lives, and you never know if you’re going to be back in a spot like this in the Calder Cup [Finals], so you’ve got to make the most of it as well.”

Poturalski and the Wolves have plenty of other things to enjoy.

With a roster loaded up by parent-club Carolina, the Wolves went 50-16-5-5 and cruised to a division title. Then in the playoffs, they swept the IceHogs in three games before dispatching Milwaukee in four.

The Wolves jumped ahead of the Stockton Heat 3-0 in the Western Conference finals and seemed primed for another short series. But Stockton responded with a pair of overtime wins, forcing a Game 6 in Rosemont which the Wolves won to finally put away the Heat.

“I thought that was a good thing to go through some adversity, to do it on the road, to be together and to kind of feel it and experience it all together,” coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “I think that’s all part of our journey and part of our story, is you need to go through some tough times, some tough losses, just so when you get back to certain situations you kind of understand the emotion and roller-coaster of the playoffs.”

The league itself also has gone through trying times.

For the first time since 2019 when Poturalski and Warsofsky, then a Charlotte assistant, beat the Wolves for the championship, the AHL is holding the Calder Cup Finals. The 2019-20 season was abandoned due to the pandemic and the 2020-21 campaign didn’t feature a complete postseason.

The Wolves know that if this series goes the distance, they’ll have home ice. Not that Poturalski wants the Cup to come down to a winner-take-all match, even if they have MoJo on their side.

“We’re hoping it doesn’t get to seven for sure,” a laughing Poturalski said.

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Tomorrow is Father’s Day, and in honor of the day, I have a father/son quiz for you. I’m a dad to two great children, Elizabeth, and Jen, both of whom fill me with pride. My dad introduced me to baseball. It became our shared passion. And I’m sure there are tens of thousands of kids (and dads) who have had that same life experience.

If you have a chance, watch a baseball game with a kid or kids. Show them the little things that make the sport so wonderful. Share stories about players, plays, the joys of victory and the agony of defeat. Baseball gives you the time to converse like no other sport. And maybe someday you can do the weekly quiz together.

Have fun.

1. Gus Bell is the father of Buddy Bell, who is the father of David Bell and Mike Bell. None of them played for a Chicago team. But Ray Boone is the father of Bob Boone, who is the father of Aaron Boone and Bret Boone, and one of them played for Chicago. Welcome to “Name That Boonie!”

a. Ray (1,373 games played)

b. Bob (2,264 games played)

c. Aaron (1,152 games played)

d. Bret (1,780 games played)

2. Pitcher Joe Coleman (Sr.) was the father of pitcher Joe Coleman, who was the father of pitcher Casey Coleman. Two of the Colemans played for Chicago. Which ones?

a. Joe Coleman (Sr.)

b. Joe Coleman (the younger)

c. Casey Coleman (Sr.)

3. Sam Hairston was a Negro League All-Star and played all of four games in the majors. He was the father of Jerry Hairston, who played 14 years in the majors, and John Hairston, who played three games in the majors. Jerry is the father of Jerry Hairston Jr., who played 16 years in the majors, and Scott Hairston, who played 11 years in the majors. Which of the Hairstons played for a Chicago team (once again, there can be multiple answers)?

a. Sam Hairston

b. Jerry Hairston

c. John Hairston

d. Jerry Hairston Jr.

e. Scott Hairston

f. All of the above

4. I’m a big fan of Steve Stone, who has provided insightful radio and television color commentary for the Cubs and White Sox. There have been three Carays in broadcasting: Harry, his son Skip, and Skip’s son, Chip. Which of the Carays did Steve work with (there could be multiple answers)?

a. Harry

b. Skip

c. Chip

d. All of the above

5. We all know that Moises Alou played for the Cubs. But did his dad, Felipe, play for a Chicago team? What about his uncles, Matty and Jesus? You tell me, yes or no. Did any or all of these guys play for a Chicago team?

a. Felipe Alou

b. Matty Alou

c. Jesus Alou

d. All of them

e. None of them

6. Ken Griffey hit eight homers against the Cubs, one against the Sox and four at Wrigley Field. Ken Griffey Jr. hit 17 homers against the Cubs, 29 against the Sox and 10 at Wrigley. How many homers did they combine to hit at what was once called Comiskey Park?

a. 0

b. 10

c. 20

7. Randy Hundley was a catcher for 14 years in the majors, 10 with the Cubs. His son, Todd Hundley, was a catcher for 14 years in the majors, two with the Cubs. Randy made the All-Star team once, Todd twice. Which one had the higher lifetime batting average?

a. Randy Hundley

b. Todd Hundley

c. Same

8. Steve Swisher was a catcher, and his son, Nick Swisher, was a right fielder and first baseman. One was drafted by the White Sox and played for the Cubs. The other played for the White Sox? Which was which, and who played for whom?

9. Cecil Fielder and his son, Prince Fielder, were 500 pounds of hitting power. Each made the All-Star team numerous times, each hit over 300 homers and each drove in over 1,000 runs. To be exact, Cecil drove in 1,008 and Prince 1,028. But which one hit more homers?

a. Cecil Fielder

b. Prince Fielder

c. They hit the same

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It’s pretty clear why a sizable group of people wants the Fire to cut ties with announcer Arlo White. Ironically, it was White himself who articulated the reasons so many despise people who take Saudi money.

Of course, that was well before White did it himself.

Chatting in October with regular play-by-play announcer Tyler Terens on the Fire’s in-house podcast, White discussed the Saudi Public Investment Fund’s purchase of English team Newcastle United. White, then the voice of NBC’s Premier League coverage, and Terens talked about how conflicted they were by the transaction.

While Saudi money instantly made the rabidly followed but perpetually underachieving team the world’s richest club, the promise of a glorious future came at a cost. White recognized that, having recently announced Newcastle’s first match after the takeover.

“Clearly, there are ethical issues at play in terms of the human-rights record in Saudi Arabia, the treatment of gay people in Saudi Arabia in which there is no law, there is no support for anybody LGBT in Saudi Arabia,” White said on the podcast. “Women’s rights, other religious rights, they are discriminated against in law in Saudi Arabia.”

Unfortunately, the Fire haven’t said anything like that since White was announced as the lead broadcaster of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series. Actually, they haven’t said anything at all to the media or their fans who are concerned about the Fire employing someone tied to a controversial regime.

The Fire have declined to make owner Joe Mansueto or team president Ishwara Glassman Chrein available for comment to explain their decision-making process, how much they anticipated any potential blowback and what benefits they could get from holding on to White. Since last week when LIV Golf teed off, White has turned off replies on his social-media posts and was caught referencing the uproar during a hot-mic moment.

But it appears the Fire still are planning to use White this summer for a handful of telecasts during their last season on WGN. That’s despite what White explained in October, something that has become another flashpoint for a struggling franchise.

PIF’s chairman is Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince who is believed to have ordered the 2018 torture and murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The Saudi government executed 81 people in March, oppresses women and the LGBTQ+ community and is responsible for the ongoing bloodshed in nearby Yemen, among other atrocities.

It’s hard to imagine that the Fire aren’t aware of what PIF represents and what any affiliation with it would say about their franchise.

Last year, White was conscious of PIF and the Saudis and spoke about them months before he took their money to help them sportswash their appearance.

However, as the Fire bunker down, those October comments, White’s hot-mic disdain of the “campaigning” to get him removed from the team and an Instagram post Tuesday seemingly doubling down on his choice will have to suffice for now.

But maybe the Fire brass’ silence says it all.

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At the moment, most of general manager Ryan Poles’ big dreams for the Bears are merely that: dreams.

The organization is betting big on making savvy selections once it finally has its full slate of draft picks again next year and fruitful free-agent signings with what is projected to be the most salary-cap space in the NFL in March. That’s all just imagination for now.

In the meantime, it could be a rough season on the field. But it’ll be productive for Poles and coach Matt Eberflus as they try to get a grasp of what long-term assets are already in the building. Coming off a 6-11 season that got everybody fired, there are very few sure things.

The two most pivotal players on the roster are 23-year-old quarterback Justin Fields and 25-year-old star inside linebacker Roquan Smith.

There’s no question about Smith, which is why Poles already has said publicly he intends to sign Smith to a contract extension before the season starts.

But there are plenty of questions for Fields to answer. His potential is through the roof, but it was hard to gauge his progress last season amid the dysfunction of Matt Nagy’s offense and limited personnel around him. Poles said in January those issues clouded his evaluation of Fields.

This is a conversation about certainties. Fields falls into the category of hope. Perhaps this season he’ll prove he’s part of the Bears’ foundation.

The list of players who have solidified their standing as part of the Bears’ future is limited to Smith, cornerback Jaylon Johnson and wide receiver Darnell Mooney. Everyone else needs to earn their way into that group.

As Eberflus and defensive coordinator Alan Williams set up the defense, Smith is essential. Few linebackers in the NFL are as versatile, and he has been everything the Bears wanted when they drafted him eighth overall in 2018.

After Colts star Darius Leonard and the 49ers’ Fred Warner signed five-year deals worth $99.2 million and $95.2 million, respectively, the Bears are going to have to pay something close to that to keep Smith from hitting free agency in the spring.

No problem.

“If he’s the guy that I think he is, that’s something we have to address,” Poles said. “In this defense with Matt and Alan, there’s a good chance he’s going to have a really good year. So … obviously the earlier you get to that [extension], the better.”

The only thing the Bears can’t seem to figure out about Smith is why he keeps getting left out of the Pro Bowl. He has topped 100 tackles every season, even in 2019, when he missed four games. He’s a hard hitter against the run, a quick and rangy defender in pass coverage and a scary threat as a blitzer.

Johnson, 23, isn’t on Smith’s level but has shown enough in his first two seasons for the Bears to know he needs to stick around. At a position where the Bears were alarmingly thin last season, he’s a long-term starter.

The defense is largely full of question marks other than Smith and Johnson.

Defensive end Robert Quinn set the franchise record with 18oe sacks last season, but he’s 32 and remains a trade candidate. Eddie Jackson was an All-Pro in 2018 but has declined since and faces a make-or-break season. The two second-round picks in the secondary — cornerback Kyler Gordon and safety Jaquan Brisker — are unknowns until they get live snaps.

The criticism of Mooney, 24, seems to keep coming, and he welcomes it. He has been good, but there’s prevalent doubt that he can be great. He can deliver, but can he dominate? He’ll always be a No. 2, never a No. 1.

Let’s be clear about something: The Bears have a lot of problems, but Mooney isn’t one of them. In his first two seasons, Mooney put up 142 catches, 1,686 yards and eight touchdowns despite playing in one of the NFL’s worst passing attacks.

From the day he arrived at Halas Hall as a fifth-round pick, Mooney has done everything right. He’ll continue to get better. Maybe he won’t be a game-changing No. 1 receiver like Davante Adams, but the Bears need to assemble at least three strong targets in the passing game — look at what the Rams and Bengals had in the Super Bowl — and Mooney can be one of those pieces.

Aside from Smith, Johnson and Mooney, the Bears hope others emerge — with none being more impactful than Fields. His trajectory will dictate the team’s.

Offensively, they’re also looking for tight end Cole Kmet to show he can do more after averaging 2.7 catches per game in his first two seasons. In a world where it’s hard to justify big paydays for running backs, David Montgomery needs to show more. Same goes for everyone on the Bears’ offensive line, especially when Poles figures to be a hard grader at that position.

Similarly, it’ll make a big difference if Jackson reclaims his standing as one of the NFL’s elite. Young defensive linemen Khyiris Tonga and Trevis Gipson could speed up the rebuild if they’re legitimate starters.

But those are all hopes until they materialize. For now, there aren’t many concrete pieces as Poles tries to clean up the mess Ryan Pace left behind.

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HOUSTON — White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada exited Friday’s game against the Astros with right hamstring tightness.

Moncada was hobbling slightly after running out a ground ball in the second inning. He played third base in the bottom of the inning but was replaced on defense by Josh Harrson in the third inning.

Moncada has had a difficult time staying on the field in 2022. He didn’t play his first game of the season until May 9 because of an oblique strain suffered at the end of spring training. He has dealt with right quad tightness and was limited to playing in 28 of 36 games since then.

Moncada has struggled offensively, finally breaking out Wednesday with five hits including a three-run homer and five RBI against the Tigers.

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The solution to the Cubs snapping a season-high 10-game losing streak Friday was simple for manager David Ross, even after right-hander Keegan Thompson had suffered the shortest outing of his young career last weekend against the Yankees: He told Thompson to throw more fastballs.

Thompson heeded Ross’ advice, and the result was remarkably successful.

Thompson set career highs with six-plus innings and nine strikeouts, and the Cubs employed small-ball tactics in the eighth to seize a 1-0 victory and end the Braves’ 14-game winning streak.

”I think everybody can take a deep sigh of relief now and just have fun,” said Thompson, who was pulled after 37 pitches and two-thirds of an inning in an 18-4 loss Sunday at Yankee Stadium.

Chants of ”Go, Cubs, Go,” could be heard outside the home clubhouse and sounded as loud as the fans’ rendition after victories.

The players celebrated their last victory June 4 at Wrigley, and there was some doubt until backup first baseman P.J. Higgins fielded a grounder and sprinted to beat Orlando Arcia to the bag with the bases loaded to end the game.

”Look, we’ve had some ugly ones lately, but I haven’t questioned the effort or intensity,” said Ross, whose Cubs (24-40) blew a lead in seven of their 10 losses and had been outscored 90-30. ”There’s something about a starting pitcher setting the tone.”

Thompson, 27, matched 38-year-old veteran Charlie Morton through six-plus innings and allowed only two soft hits, thanks to his fastball command. Of Thompson’s 68 four-seam fastballs and cutters, the Braves (37-28) took 36 swings and missed 17, according to Baseball Savant.

”My core belief — and I’m probably not the norm in the new age — is you pitch with your fastball, especially the starter,” Ross said. ”And he did that. That was what you do. Nobody took good swings. He didn’t run to off-speed [pitches]. They were tardy on a lot of swings. It was an impressive start.”

Thompson admitted he had backed off his four-seam fastball in his last two outings, in which he was tagged for 12 earned runs in 3? innings. He thought he needed to pitch with more aggressiveness.

”I think I was trying to place balls the last time instead of just going after guys and staying in the zone and let them put it in play,” Thompson said.

A big part of the Cubs’ rebuilding process is finding pitchers capable of stopping losing streaks and harnessing perennial National League powers such as the Braves, who had outscored the opposition 101-41 during their winning streak.

Thompson pitched at a brisk tempo, and Ross had no reservations about allowing him to start the seventh, even though he was approaching his previous pitch-count high of 88 and exceeded it with a four-pitch walk to Matt Olson.

”His pace was phenomenal,” Ross said. ”I think that’s why it seemed easy. That’s an aggressive team, and he was attacking.”

A stiff wind knocked down at least three potential home runs, but the Cubs were resourceful at the right time in the eighth. Pinch hitter Jonathan Villar worked left-hander A.J. Minter for a walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Andrelton Simmons and stole third without a throw.

Rookie Christopher Morel then battled from an 0-2 count to hit a fly to center deep enough to score Villar with the lone run.

”That easily could have gone the other way,” Ross said. ”We could be really not in a good place if we lose that game.”

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After two nights of dinners and stories, reality will hit Cubs catcher Willson Contreras when he comes to bat in the first inning Saturday with younger brother William behind the plate for the Braves.

”It’s going to be emotional,” Willson said Friday. ”It’s going to be good, especially being the older brother. Seeing your younger brother play against you is priceless.”

Willson, 30, is six years older than his brother, who is batting .287 with nine home runs. The two worked out together during the COVID-19 stoppage in 2020, and their parents will be in attendance at Wrigley Field for a memorable experience.

”Latin culture is everything about family,” said Contreras, a native of Venezuela.

Stiff Schwindel

First baseman Frank Schwindel might not be available Saturday after leaving in the second inning with lower-back stiffness suffered while running to first on a grounder.

”He went three rounds of treatment and is still stiff,” manager David Ross said after the game.

Coincidentally, P.J. Higgins, Schwindel’s replacement at first, cleanly fielded a grounder by Orlando Arcia with the bases loaded and sprinted to first base for the final out of a 1-0 victory against the Braves that snapped a 10-game losing streak.

”It was a really good feeling to go at somebody,” Ross said.

Captured by COVID

Right-hander Marcus Stroman admitted he wasn’t at full strength when he returned from a 17-day COVID-related layoff in early May.

Stroman threw five innings and 77 pitches in his next start against the Diamondbacks but said his shoulder never recovered, eventually resulting in a trip to the 15-day injured list with inflammation in the shoulder.

Stroman, who is 2-5 with a 5.32 ERA in nine starts, played catch for the second consecutive day and hopes to throw off a mound next week if his shoulder responds well to more throwing sessions.

”I don’t want to go too quick,” said Stroman, who hasn’t pitched since June 3 and acknowledged he might need a rehab assignment.

Memory lane

Braves manager Brian Snitker was a catcher on the 1971 Macon High School team that earned the distinction of being the smallest school to reach the Illinois state finals.

Snitker’s team was documented in a book titled ”One Shot at Forever,” and Snitker said he tried to pattern his batting stance after those of some Cubs players.

”I think I was Glenn Beckert as a sophomore,” Snitker recalled. ”I was Jim Hickman as a junior. I probably morphed into both as a senior.”

Roster updates

Infielder David Bote was scheduled to resume his rehab assignment at Triple-A Iowa. Bote, who was rehabbing from surgery on his left shoulder, experienced dizzy spells June 7.

Reliever Ethan Roberts (inflammation in right shoulder) threw live batting practice Thursday at the Cubs’ complex in Mesa, Arizona, and is scheduled to pitch on a rehab assignment Sunday at Iowa.

Outfielder Clint Frazier cleared waivers and was sent outright to Iowa. Frazier has yet to decide whether to report or become a free agent.

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CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs became the first team in 23 years to stop a losing streak of 10 or more game while ending an opponent’s winning streak of at least 10 games, beating the Braves 1-0 Friday to halt Atlanta’s majors-best 14-game run.

Rookie Christopher Morel hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning, helping the Cubs stop a 10-game slide, the longest losing streak in the majors this season, and Chicago’s longest since 12 straight losses from last Aug. 5-16.

The Braves are the first team to have a 14-plus-game win streak snapped by a 1-0 loss since 2013 — when Atlanta also saw a 14-game win streak halted by a 1-0 loss to the Marlins.

Morel drove in the game’s only run against reliever A.J. Minter after striking out in his first three at-bats, then getting some advice from catcher Willson Contreras.

“It helped me concentrate on what I needed to do, what to focus on with that tough lefty,” Morel, who has 15 RBIs since making his major league debut on May 17, said. “Willson talked to me and told me, ”Don’t look for stuff low around the plate. Look high.'”

A pair of double-digit streaks had not ended in the same game since Philadelphia beat Houston on Sept. 15, 1999, ending the Phillies’ skid at 11 and the Astros’ winning streak at 12.

1 Related

Chicago had not won 1-0 since May 28 last year against Cincinnati. The Braves lost 1-0 for the second time this year following a defeat at Milwaukee on May 16.

Minter (2-1) walked pinch-hitter Jonathan Villar leading off the eighth. He advanced on Andrelton Simmons‘ sacrifice, stole third without a throw on Minter’s 2-1 pitch in the dirt to Morel and scored on Morel’s 277-foot fly to center with a steady wind blowing in at Wrigley Field.

Villar slid home headfirst as Michael Harris II‘s throw was slightly up the first-base line.

With Chicago wearing unusual dark blue jerseys and pants with light blue letters, Chris Martin (1-0) pitched a perfect eighth for his first with for the Cubs.

Atlanta loaded the bases against David Robertson in the ninth on two walks and a hit batter before Orlando Arcia grounded out. Robertson got his eighth save in 10 chances, completing a two-hitter on a day both teams combined for just five hits.

It was Atlanta’s first defeat since May 31 at Arizona. The Braves’ 14-game win streak was the longest by any team this season, and tied the 1935 Cardinals for the third longest by a defending World Series champion.

“The first loss in June is good when you’re in the middle of the month,” said Matt Olson, who struck one of fourth deep flies that may have been held by wind.

“Our game is to get the ball in the air and we kind of got beat back here today,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said.

Keegan Thompson, coming off poor outings at Baltimore and the New York Yankees, struck out a career-high nine while allowing two hits and two walks in six-plus scoreless innings — his longest big league outing.

“I think there was a conscious effort for us today to throw more fastballs,” Thompson said. “I haven’t had a lot of damage done so far off the fastball this year and I had kind of gotten away from the four-seam fastball the last two outings.”

Mychal Givens struck out Arcia with two on to end the seventh.

Charlie Morton struck out nine, walked none and allowed three hits.

Contreras narrowly missed a homer on a drive off the left-center wall with two in the sixth. Left fielder Adam Duvall played the ball perfectly and held him to a single.

ESPN Stats & Information and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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HOUSTON — After passing a test on his right knee during a 30-pitch bullpen session at Minute Maid Park on Thursday’s off day and following it with some intense throwing on flat ground Friday, White Sox right-hander Michael Kopech will get another start on Sunday Night Baseball.

“He feels great. He’s ready,” manager Tony La Russa said Friday.

It was an unforeseen happening when Kopech slammed a baseball in anger into the infield grass after throwing 13 pitches in his last start Sunday against the Rangers, then hobbled off the mound with right knee soreness.

It didn’t look good.

“I probably would have been pretty doubtful about it,” Kopech said.

Turns out Kopech pinched a preexisting cyst that created fluid behind the knee, according to general manager Rick Hahn. Kopech had the knee drained and while he might have to tolerate discomfort when he throws Sunday and beyond, knowing nothing is structurally wrong gives him and the Sox assurances he can continue to pitch, starting Sunday.

“It’s just being able to tolerate it and I can tolerate it,” Kopech said.

“But it’s gotten better day to day. Who knows? Maybe by Sunday, I’m not feeling anything at all.”

Kopech wasn’t as sharp in his bullpen as he had hoped to be but the bigger deal was the knee, the one he drives off of, feeling as well as it did Friday.

“I’ve gone through my delivery 200 times in the past two days and it’s felt good every time,” he said. “I don’t think it’s anything that’s going to affect me on the mound.”

Kopech is 2-2 with a 1.92 ERA in 11 starts. On May 26 at Yankee Stadium he pitched seven innings of one-hit shutout ball, striking out six and walking two.

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