Lopez elected free agency Thursday after passing through waivers unclaimed, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Lopez was designated for assignment by the Orioles on the second-to-last day of the regular season. He was terrific in 2022, tallying 23 saves with a 2.54 ERA in 71 innings between Baltimore and Minnesota, but the 30-year-old right-hander struggled to a 5.95 ERA across 59 innings in 2023 while bouncing between three different teams.
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Orioles' Jorge Lopez: Designated for assignment
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Lopez was designated for assignment Saturday, Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com reports.
The Orioles claimed Lopez off waivers from the Marlins on Sept. 2. During his month with Baltimore, he had a 5.25 ERA with a 1.25 WHIP in 12.0 innings. In a corresponding move, Bruce Zimmermann was recalled.
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Orioles' Jorge Lopez: Claimed by O's
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The Orioles claimed Lopez off waivers from the Marlins on Saturday, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.
Lopez was pushed off the Marlins' roster Saturday to clear space for Johnny Cueto, and he'll now head back to Baltimore. Lopez holds a 6.13 ERA and 1.57 WHIP through 47 innings on the season, and while he was closing for the O's as recently as last July, he'll likely be limited to low-leverage outings down the stretch even with Felix Bautista (elbow) out of commission.
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Marlins' Jorge Lopez: Sent to Jacksonville
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The Marlins sent Lopez to Triple-A Jacksonville on Saturday, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.
With Johnny Cueto (illness) returning from the injured list Saturday, Lopez will head back to the minors to free up a spot on the roster. The 30-year-old reliever is out of minor-league options and will have to pass through waivers before he can reach Jacksonville. He's allowed 12 runs in 11.2 innings since joining the Marlins in July.
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Twins' Jorge Lopez: Activated from injured list
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Minnesota activated Lopez (mental health) from the 15-day injured list Tuesday, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.
Lopez will return to the Twins' bullpen Tuesday against the Royals after taking a couple weeks off for mental health reasons. He had posted a disappointing 5.00 ERA and 1.41 WHIP through 27 innings prior to the IL stint.
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Twins' Jorge Lopez: No timetable for return
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Lopez, who is on the 15-day injured list for mental health reasons, has been throwing, but there is no timetable for his return, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Lopez is eligible to return from the injured list Friday, but it doesn't sound like he'll be activated this weekend. He'll likely need a minor-league rehab stint when he's ready to return.
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Twins' Jorge Lopez: Out for mental health reasons
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The Twins transferred Lopez from the restricted list to the 15-day injured list for mental health reasons Sunday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Minnesota initially placed the right-hander on the restricted list earlier Sunday before moving him to the IL. Lopez has given up 12 earned runs, including five homers, in his past eight appearances, and he'll now step away from the team in order to address his mental health.
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Twins' Jorge Lopez: Lands on restricted list
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Lopez was placed on the restricted list Sunday for unspecified reasons.
The reason for the transaction is unclear, though Lopez has surrendered 12 earned runs, including five homers, in his past eight outings and has a 5.00 ERA this season. It remains to be seen when the right-hander will rejoin the Twins.
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Twins' Jorge Lopez: Recent struggles continue
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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.
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Twins' Jorge Lopez: Converts third save
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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.
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Twins' Jorge Lopez: Continues scoreless streak
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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.
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Twins' Jorge Lopez: Picks up first save of season
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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.
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Twins' Jorge Lopez: Works in seventh inning
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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.
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Twins' Jorge Lopez: Continues sharp spring
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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.
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Twins' Jorge Lopez: Avoids arbitration
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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.
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Twins' Jorge Lopez: Falters in non-save situation
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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.
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Twins' Jorge Lopez: Secures 23rd save
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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.
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Twins' Jorge Lopez: Notches 22nd save on double play
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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.
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Twins' Jorge Lopez: Records 21st save Monday
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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.
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Twins' Jorge Lopez: Blows another save
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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.
