Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Michael Kopech has reportedly undergone surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee, according to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.
Although Kopech is still expected to be back before the end of the season, the surgery is the reason why he was moved to the 60-day IL on Tuesday.
#Dodgers Michael Kopech had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, per source. That’s why he was moved to 60-day IL. Still expected back before end of season
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) July 9, 2025
Kopech has easily been one of the best pitchers out of the bullpen for the Dodgers since his arrival last season.
The right-hander made his way to LA after he was dealt at the 2024 trade deadline from the team that finished with the worst record in MLB, the Chicago White Sox, to the team that would eventually be crowned champions of the baseball world.
Kopech threw a microscopic 1.13 ERA across 24 games in a Dodgers uniform last season, adding 39 strikeouts to just 10 walks. His ERA+ of 359 put him in a league of his own among relievers in the second half of the season, as the league-average ERA+ is 100.
This carried into October as Kopech continued to be a major force out of the bullpen. He would allow just three earned runs in 10 appearances, helping the Dodgers end the season with a World Series trophy.
After a shoulder impingement during spring training led to Kopech starting the 2025 campaign late, he had yet to allow an earned run in his eight appearances since returning.
Kopech was already picking up where he left off, with an average fastball velocity of 97.7 mph that hitters could only muster a .100 batting average against. This velocity is good for the 94th percentile among active pitchers in MLB this season.
The heater is what Kopech throws 80.7 percent of the time, but his cutter, offered just 16.7 percent of the time, led to a swing-and-miss rate of 66.7 percent.
Kopech’s stuff certainly hasn’t lost a step from last year to now, but fans will have to remain patient until the right-hander is healthy enough to return to the rubber.
When Will Michael Kopech Return to Dodgers?
Kopech isn’t eligible to return from the 60-day IL until late August. He may not be able to return to the team until September, though, based on his rehab and recovery.
Photo Credit: Ryan Sun-Imagn Images
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