Lopez allowed two runs on two hits and one walk and didn't record an out Wednesday against the Astros.
Lopez's recent struggles continue as he had a 9.00 ERA (11 ER in 11 IP) with a 9:7 K:BB and three hit batters in May. The Twins used him in a low-leverage spot in a blowout to try and get him right and he still struggled. Lopez may be relegated to the bottom of the bullpen until he shows signs of progress.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Jorge Lopez: May struggles continue
Rotowire
Lopez allowed three runs on three hits, including a two-run home run, without retiring a batter in Saturday's 9-7 victory over the Blue Jays.
Lopez had a strong start to the season with 12 scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts and one walk before May. Since May 2, Lopez has struggled with two losses, three blown saves and an 8.10 ERA in 10 innings. The Twins may need to move him to lower-leverage work until he gets back on track.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Jorge Lopez: Converts third save
Rotowire
Lopez earned a save against the Padres on Thursday, striking out two batters in a perfect ninth inning.
Jhoan Duran may have been unavailable for the Twins on Thursday after tossing two innings (but only 17 pitches) Wednesday, so the team turned to Lopez to protect a two-run, ninth-inning lead. The veteran right-hander didn't disappoint, fanning two of the three batters he faced in a perfect frame. Lopez has been excellent in his first full season with the Twins, allowing just three earned runs and posting a 13:4 K:BB over 17 innings. He has three saves on the season, but Duran has been outstanding as well and remains the team's primary closer.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Jorge Lopez: Continues scoreless streak
Rotowire
Lopez threw a scoreless sixth inning with a strikeout Tuesday against the Red Sox. He's thrown 7.2 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and no walks this season.
Lopez is having an outstanding start to the season, with the only negative being that Jhoan Duran looks like the primary closer. Lopez does have one save, but so far it looks like he'll be used to close games only when the latter is unavailable rather than more of a committee. Still, manager Rocco Baldelli has managed his bullpen without regard for the save statistic in the past.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Jorge Lopez: Picks up first save of season
Rotowire
Lopez hurled a perfect inning with a strikeout while picking up a save in Saturday's 2-0 win against the Royals.
Lopez worked in the seventh inning in the opener, but the right-hander was tasked with picking up the save for Saturday's affair. He needed just eight pitches to get through the lineup -- six of those for strikes -- and looked like the pitcher that made him such a solid option for the first half of the 2022 campaign with Baltimore. Jhoan Duran is going to get his save chances as well, so this will be a difficult bullpen for fantasy managers to read, at least to begin 2023.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Jorge Lopez: Works in seventh inning
Rotowire
Lopez did not allow a run or hit while striking out one over two-thirds of an inning Thursday's win against the Royals to record his first hold.
It was notable that Lopez was used in the seventh inning with Griffin Jax in the eighth and Jhoan Duran for the save in the ninth. Manager Rocco Baldelli has managed his bullpen without regard for the save statistic in the past, but Thursday's game looked like a textbook use of Duran as the closer. Still, Duran may be used earlier in the game in high-leverage spots and not on multiple days, so Lopez could still be a factor for saves. However, after one game Lopez's prospects for saves may not look as good as previously thought.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Jorge Lopez: Continues sharp spring
Rotowire
Lopez threw a scoreless inning with a strikeout in Tuesday's spring training win over Tampa Bay. It was his first outing since throwing three scoreless innings in three games for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.
Lopez has looked sharp this spring between the WBC and Grapefruit League action (three scoreless innings with three strikeouts and one walk). Twins manager Rocco Baldelli hasn't given any indications about how he plans to use his bullpen this spring, but Lopez figures to be in the mix for saves. While Jhoan Duran may be the best reliever, Baldelli usually runs his bullpen with disregard for the save statistic. Duran may be used in high-leverage matchups with Lopez pitching the ninth inning, for example. Griffin Jax and Jorge Alcala could also figure into the mix to finish games. Lopez struggled with a 4.37 ERA and just a 18:14 K:BB in 22.2 innings after his trade to Minnesota, so it's encouraging to see him have a strong spring.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Jorge Lopez: Avoids arbitration
Rotowire
Lopez agreed to a one-year, $3.525 million contract with the Twins on Friday to avoid arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
Lopez had a 1.68 ERA with 19 saves for the Orioles last year before being dealt to the Twins at the trade deadline, but he labored after the trade with a 4.37 ERA. The 29-year-old still received a nice raise for his second season of arbitration eligibility in 2023, but his role is a bit in flux entering spring training after he failed to make a strong first impression with his new team, and he's likely behind Jhoan Duran in the pecking order for saves.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Jorge Lopez: Falters in non-save situation
Rotowire
Lopez (4-7) took the loss Friday versus the White Sox, allowing a run on two hits and a hit batter in two-thirds of an inning.
Lopez got one out with no trouble, but he allowed the next three batters aboard to load the bases. Jose Abreu then hit into a fielder's choice -- after a review ruled he wasn't hit by a pitch -- to tag Lopez with the loss. The 29-year-old reliever has gone 4-for-6 with a loss and four runs allowed in 11.2 innings as the Twins' closer after he was traded from the Orioles at the deadline. For the year, he owns a 1.95 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 63:21 K:BB with 23 saves in 29 chances.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Jorge Lopez: Secures 23rd save
Rotowire
Lopez struck out one batter in a perfect inning and earned a save over the Red Sox on Monday.
Lopez needed just nine pitches to finish off the 4-2 victory. He picked up his first save since Aug. 19 and he's now converted 23 of his 29 chances this season. Lopez is sporting a 9:4 K:BB with a 2.45 ERA through 11 innings since joining the Twins.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Jorge Lopez: Notches 22nd save on double play
Rotowire
Lopez gave up two walks and struck out one batter in a scoreless ninth inning to earn the save in a 2-1 win over the Rangers on Friday.
Lopez put two men on board in a one-run game but managed to escape the inning to notch his 22nd save of the season with some help from his defense. Brad Miller scorched a 103.8 mph line drive to right field that was caught for the second out of the inning. Right fielder Max Kepler then threw to second base to double off pinch runner Charlie Culberson who misread the play. Lopez now has three saves and two blown saves since coming over to the Twins at the beginning of August and has a 3.86 ERA in seven appearances during that stretch.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Jorge Lopez: Records 21st save Monday
Rotowire
Lopez picked up the save in Monday's 4-2 win over the Royals. He allowed zero runs on two hits and zero walks while striking out one over one inning.
Lopez worked around a leadoff double in the ninth inning to convert his 21st save of the season. The scoreless effort was a welcome sight given that he had two blown saves in his previous four appearances. Despite looking shaky recently, Lopez's strong performance on the season is supported by his 90th percentile xSLG and 88th percentile xBA. He should continue recording saves for manager Rocco Baldelli's squad.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Jorge Lopez: Blows another save
Rotowire
Lopez allowed two runs on two hits and a walk in one inning, taking a blown save in Saturday's 5-3 extra-innings loss to the Angels.
Lopez had a two-run lead to protect in the ninth inning, but he couldn't close it out. Magneuris Sierra hit a two-run, two-out triple to tie the game, though he was thrown out trying to turn it into an inside-the-park home run. That was enough to drop Lopez to 1-for-3 in save chances with the Twins since joining them at the trade deadline. The 29-year-old is 20-for-25 in saves overall when accounting for his time with the Orioles. He's added a 2.03 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 58:19 K:BB through 53.1 innings. There's been no indication that he's at risk of losing the closer role, but he'll need to steady things soon to avoid slipping into a committee.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Jorge Lopez: Blows save Friday
Rotowire
Lopez allowed a run on three hits in one inning in Friday's 6-5 extra-inning win over the Blue Jays.
Lopez allowed three singles, the last two of which came with two outs and allowed the Blue Jays to tie the game at 5-5. He's now 1-for-2 in save chances with the Twins, and Friday's stumble was his fifth blown save of the season. The right-hander has posted a 1.79 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 55:17 K:BB across 50.1 innings while adding 20 saves and a 4-6 record. The former Oriole closer's performance this year should give him some leeway, but Michael Fulmer or Jhoan Duran figure to pick up save chances if Lopez needs a day off or enters a slump.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Jorge Lopez: Strong in Twins debut
Rotowire
Lopez didn't allow a baserunner and struck out one to record the save Wednesday against the Tigers.
Lopez wasted no time showcasing why the Twins chose to acquire him prior to the trade deadline, as he needed only seven pitches to record his 20th save of the season. Though Minnesota has used a committee to close out games for most of the season, Lopez should be in line to pick up the vast majority of chances moving forward. He has been excellent in the role, maintaining a 1.64 ERA and 55:17 K:BB across 49.1 frames on the season.
... See More... See Less
Twins' Jorge Lopez: Shipped to Minnesota
Rotowire
The Twins acquired Lopez from the Orioles on Tuesday in exchange for left-handers Cade Povich and Juan Rojas and right-handers Yennier Cano and Juan Nunez, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Since dealing Taylor Rogers to the Padres on Opening Day, the Twins have taken a committee approach at closer, but Lopez should immediately step in as the team's clear-cut preferred option in save situations. A first-time All-Star this season, the right-handed Lopez turned in a 1.68 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 54:17 K:BB in 48.1 innings for Baltimore while converting 19 of his 23 save opportunities. With Lopez now in Minnesota, Felix Bautista becomes the top in-house option to take over as the Orioles' closer.
... See More... See Less
Orioles' Jorge Lopez: Handed loss Wednesday
Rotowire
Lopez (4-6) allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits and two walks in one inning, taking the extra-inning loss versus the Rays on Wednesday.
Lopez put the first four batters he faced aboard, and Randy Arozarena had a two-run double during that Rays rally. The Orioles didn't have a second comeback push in them, leading to Lopez taking his first loss since July 2. This was only the fourth time all year the closer has allowed multiple walks in an outing. He has a 1.71 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 52:17 K:BB through 47.1 innings while going 19-for-23 in save chances.
... See More... See Less
Orioles' Jorge Lopez: Snags 19th save
Rotowire
Lopez pitched a scoreless ninth inning, giving up one hit on his way to a save in the Orioles' 5-3 victory over the Rays on Tuesday.
Lopez was called upon to protect a 5-3 lead in the top of the ninth inning, and he registered three consecutive outs after allowing a leadoff single. The save was his 19th of the season and he has now converted six consecutive opportunities after blowing two saves in a row to open July. Overall on the season, Lopez is 19-for-23 on save chances and owns a sparkling 1.55 ERA and 0.93 WHIP with 52 strikeouts over 46.1 innings in 42 appearances. The Orioles' decision to move him to the bullpen in 2022 is paying off greatly.
... See More... See Less
Orioles' Jorge Lopez: Collects 18th save
Rotowire
Lopez allowed a hit and struck out one to earn the save in Saturday's 6-3 win over the Yankees.
Lopez had no trouble in protecting a three-run lead to convert his 18th save in 22 chances. He's returned to strong form lately, allowing one unearned run on four hits and two hit batsmen while striking out 10 over his last seven innings, earning five saves and a win in that span. The closer owns a 1.59 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 52:15 K:BB through 45.1 innings, and the Orioles' recent uptick in success has allowed him more opportunities to finish games.
... See More... See Less
Orioles' Jorge Lopez: Grabs win Saturday
Rotowire
Lopez (4-5) picked up the extra-innings win Saturday over the Rays. He allowed an unearned run on one hit and a hit batsman and struck out three over two innings.
Lopez covered the ninth and 10th innings, though he allowed the Rays to pull even on a Ji-Man Choi single in the 10th. After starting July in shaky form, Lopez has recorded six straight innings without giving up an earned run, and he owns a stellar 9:0 K:BB in that stretch. He's still got excellent season numbers with a 1.62 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 51:15 K:BB in 44.1 innings while converting 17 of 21 save chances.
