Dave Roberts’ odd injury comments have Dodgers fans confused about Michael Kopech

The Los Angeles Dodgers' pitching staff took another hit Friday as they placed right-handed reliever Michael Kopech on the injured list, effectively ending his 2025 regular season.

It's brutal news for Kopech, who has spent more time on the injured list in 2025 than he has on the active roster. He opened the season on the IL with a shoulder injury, delaying his 2025 debut until June 7. He made eight appearances before undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. He rejoined the team on Sept. 1.

Since returning, Kopech has struggled with his command, walking eight batters over his last four appearances (2 2/3 innings). On the season, he has a 2.45 ERA across 11 innings and has allowed an alarmingly high 13 walks to 12 strikeouts.

Kopech stumbled in his most recent appearance on Thursday against the San Francisco Giants, giving up an earned run and a pair of walks while recording just one out in the Dodgers' 2-1 win.

“He’s going through some things physically,” manager Dave Roberts told reporters on Friday. “Obviously with what we’ve seen, it hasn’t been consistent. Certainly it’s pitchable, those are his words, but it’s just not the Kopech, the standard, that he is as a pitcher.”

Be that as it may, Kopech is still going on the IL, putting his status for the postseason in doubt. So apparently whatever injuries he is battling aren't "pitchable" after all.

Michael Kopech's nebulous injury comments make postseason status unclear

Kopech had a 1.13 ERA across 24 appearances for the Dodgers last season after he arrived at the trade deadline. He was an important contributor to Los Angeles' World Series run in 2024, but now it's unclear whether he will even be on the postseason roster in 2025. He clearly cannot shake the injury issues as he's appeared in just 14 games this year.

“I’m working through some stuff just as everyone is at this time of year,” Kopech told reporters on Friday. "It’s a couple different things right now. It’s very frustrating. It’s a special group. I care for these guys."

At this point, the best-case scenario is Kopech returning in time for October – and returning to his 2024 form. But given his ineffectiveness throughout the current season, it's plausible that Kopech is not on the Dodgers' playoff roster in 2025. It'd be hard for them to take that kind of risk on somebody who has failed to log consistent reps on the mound since April.

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