Michael Kopech, top White Sox pitching prospect, to miss season

Chicago White Sox prized pitching prospect Michael Kopech decided Friday that he would not play this season, and the team put star third baseman Yoan Moncada and pitcher Jose Ruiz on the 10-day injured list because of unspecified ailments.

The White Sox believe they are poised for a turnaround after seven straight losing seasons. But losing Kopech for the season and maybe Moncada for at least a little while are big blows.

Both players had been absent since the White Sox resumed workouts last week.

"Our organization is understanding and supportive," General Manager Rick Hahn said in a statement. "We will work with Michael to assure his development continues throughout 2020."

The 24-year-old righthander is coming back from Tommy John surgery in September 2018. He hit triple-digits on the radar gun during his first spring training appearance.

Kopech and Moncada were both acquired by Chicago in the December 2016 trade that sent Chris Sale to the Boston Red Sox. Kopech made his big league debut in 2018, going 1-1 with a 5.02 ERA in four starts.

Moncada set career highs by hitting .315 with 25 homers and 79 RBI in a breakthrough season last year.

Giants star catcher Buster Posey will opt out of the 2020 season out of health concerns for his newly adopted twin baby girls during the coronavirus pandemic.

The babies were born about eight weeks prematurely last Friday and Posey and his wife, Kristen, finalized the adoption Thursday. Ada and Livvi are healthy but will need to spend time in neonatal intensive care and will have weakened immune systems for the next few months.

"This ultimately wasn't that difficult a decision for me," Posey said. "From a baseball standpoint, it was a tough decision. From a family standpoint and feeling like I'm making a decision to protect our children, I think it was relatively easy."

Posey is a six-time All-Star, the 2012 NL MVP and a three-time World Series champion.

Etc.