The Braves lost Spencer Strider for the season at the beginning of the year, but the rotation still sent three All-Stars to Dallas, thanks to Chris Sale‘s bounce back campaign and Reynaldo Lopez‘s emergence as a starting pitcher.
The former reliever was signed to a three-year, $30 million contract in free agency this offseason. Coming into Spring Training, the Braves planned to stretch Lopez out as a candidate to finally give the club a reliable fifth starter. It turned out better than anyone could’ve imagined.
Lopez posted a 4.64 ERA over 65 starts for the White Sox from 2018-19. Not exactly All-Star caliber production; but with the Braves, he owns a 1.88 ERA through 17 starts, the best ERA in baseball this year. Lopez’s performance in his new role is nothing short of shocking, and the veteran credits his mental approach for the successful transition.
Why has Reynaldo López been so good this year?
He says it's all in his mental approach to games. pic.twitter.com/peoIWL6Lip
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 19, 2024
The most impressive aspect of Reynaldo Lopez’s game is how he tailors his approach to the situation. He’s been at his absolute best with runners in scoring position and looks like he always paces himself throughout an outing.As a reliever, his fastball sat in the high 90s. Now, it sits in the mid-90s, but Lopez can reach back and still get it to 97-98 MPH if the situation calls for it.
That balance has been pivotal to his success, and Lopez’s success is one of the primary reasons the team is still right in the thick of the playoff race. The question now revolves around sustainability. Obviously, Lopez isn’t going to maintain a sub-2.00 ERA for the entirety of his three-year contract with the Braves.
However, what kind of drop-off is around the corner?
Lopez threw 184+ innings in 2018 and 2019 but hasn’t eclipsed more than 66 innings since then. The Braves have been pacing him all season, and it’s worked. Perhaps they look to give him even more rest over the second half if he begins to show signs of fatigue. The ultimate goal for the Braves should be to have a healthy and energized Reynaldo Lopez ready for October.
—
David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
You must log in to post a comment.