The Rays optioned Lopez to Triple-A Durham on Monday.
Tampa Bay recalled Lopez from Triple-A to make a spot start Sunday in place of Shane Baz (illness), who was unable to make his turn through the rotation while recovering from the flu. Though Lopez settled for a no-decision in his second career MLB start, he held a talented Dodgers lineup to one run on two hits and two walks over five innings. The Rays' decision to demote Lopez likely indicates that Baz will be ready to take the hill when his next turn comes up this weekend versus the Padres.
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Rays' Jacob Lopez: Holds Dodgers to one run
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Lopez came away with a no-decision Sunday against the Dodgers, allowing one run on two hits and two walks while striking out six over five innings.
Lopez impressed in a road spot start against one of baseball's best lineups, limiting the Dodgers to a lot of weak contact and generating a fair share of whiffs with his slider. He blanked the home squad through four innings before Enrique Hernandez took him deep in the fifth for the game's first run, but the Rays were able to take Lopez off the hook for the loss. The southpaw presumably will be optioned back to Triple-A Durham with Erasmo Ramirez set to be called up Monday, but Lopez could see another stint in the majors over the final month if an injury opens up a role for him.
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Rays' Jacob Lopez: Called up for Sunday's start
Rotowire
The Rays recalled Lopez from Triple-A Durham to start Sunday's game against the Dodgers.
The left-hander will fill the rotation spot of Shane Baz, who was scratched from his scheduled start due to an illness. Lopez has made three appearances out of the bullpen for the Rays this season, and he'll now make his first MLB start of the campaign. The 26-year-old had a 4.08 ERA and 84:33 K:BB across 70.2 innings at Triple-A and has given up five earned runs over 5.1 frames in the big leagues.
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Rays' Jacob Lopez: Drawing start Sunday
Rotowire
The Rays will recall Lopez from Triple-A Durham to start Sunday's game against the Dodgers.
He'll be joining the big club as a replacement in the rotation for Shane Baz (illness), who was scratched a day in advance of his scheduled start Sunday while he battles the flu. The Rays haven't indicated yet that Baz's illness is serious enough to force him to the injured list, so Lopez could be headed back to Durham following Sunday's outing. Lopez previously made a start for the Rays in 2023, but all three of his appearances for Tampa Bay in 2024 have come out of the bullpen. He holds a 4.08 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 84:33 K:BB across 70.2 innings over his 17 outings (15 starts) with Durham this season.
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Rays' Jacob Lopez: Sent down to Triple-A
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The Rays optioned Lopez to Triple-A Durham on Monday, Ryan Bass of Bally Sports Sun reports.
Lopez has managed an 8.44 ERA and 2:5 K:BB over 5.1 relief innings during his time with the big club this season. The 26-year-old should go back into Durham's rotation.
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Rays' Jacob Lopez: Back up from Triple-A
Rotowire
The Rays recalled Lopez from Triple-A Durham on Monday.
Lopez has been a full-time starter for Durham this season, but he'll operate as a multi-inning relief option while he joins the Rays for the second time in 2024. The Rays placed right-handed reliever Chris Devenski (knee) on the 15-day injured list in a corresponding move.
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Rays' Jacob Lopez: Back in minors
Rotowire
The Rays optioned Lopez to Triple-A Durham on Saturday, Ryan Bass of Bally Sports Sun reports.
Lopez threw a scoreless inning during his first MLB appearance of the season Friday, but he'll now return to the minors just two days after being recalled from Triple-A. Erasmo Ramirez was selected from Durham to take Lopez's spot in the Rays' bullpen.
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Rays' Jacob Lopez: Summoned to big leagues
Rotowire
Tampa Bay recalled Lopez from Triple-A Durham on Thursday, Ryan Bass of Bally Sports Sun reports.
Lopez has been starting at Durham, posting a 7.59 ERA and 9:2 K:BB over 10.2 innings. The Rays need him for relief help, though, as the left-hander will offer them some potential length in the bullpen for Thursday's series finale versus the Angels.
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Rays' Jacob Lopez: Optioned to Triple-A
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The Rays optioned Lopez to Triple-A Durham on Friday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Lopez had been listed as a possible rotation candidate with Taj Bradley (pectoral) out, but he'll head back to Durham for now. The left-hander permitted three runs with a 7:6 K:BB across 6.1 innings of work during Grapefruit League play.
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Rays' Jacob Lopez: Candidate for final rotation spot
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Lopez is a candidate to open the year as the Rays' No. 5 starter due to Taj Bradley (pectoral) being ruled out for the start of the season, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Naoyuki Uwasawa, Jacob Waguespack, Tyler Alexander and Chris Devenski were also mentioned as potential replacements. The lefty Lopez operated as a starter at Triple-A Durham last season, posting a 2.72 ERA and 87:47 K:BB over 18 starts (79.1 innings) to earn his first MLB looks over the final six weeks. He has allowed one hit and five walks in 3.1 innings so far this spring.
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Rays' Jacob Lopez: Surrenders six runs in spot start
Rotowire
Lopez (1-0) got the win Sunday over the Blue Jays but allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits and two walks while striking out four over 5.1 innings.
Lopez threw an easy 1-2-3 first inning but put two runners on to begin the second and gave up a two-run triple to Tyler Heineman before allowing him to score on a wild pitch. He kept the Blue Jays off the board for the next three innings but could not escape trouble in the sixth and wound up giving up three more runs before being pulled. Sunday was his longest major-league outing this year but was also his worst showing. He posted solid minor-league numbers in 2023, but he was essentially an emergency option for the big club down the stretch.
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Rays' Jacob Lopez: Promoted, should pitch Sunday
Rotowire
Lopez was recalled from Triple-A Durham and is expected start or work in bulk relief Sunday in Toronto, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
The 25-year-old made his MLB debut in August and pitched well in three outings for the Rays with one earned run allowed and a 4:0 K:BB across seven innings, and he'll receive another look with the big club in the regular-season finale. Lopez was also effective at Triple-A Durham this year with a 2.72 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 87:47 K:BB in 18 starts after opening the campaign with Double-A Montgomery.
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Rays' Jacob Lopez: Starting Sunday
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Lopez is expected to start Sunday's game against the Blue Jays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
It was originally thought Lopez would work as a bulk reliever, but it sounds like he will instead work as a traditional starter. He has a 1.29 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and four strikeouts in seven innings across three MLB appearances and logged a 3.26 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 18 strikeouts in 19.1 innings across his four most recent appearances at Triple-A.
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Rays' Jacob Lopez: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
Lopez was optioned to Triple-A Durham on Thursday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Lopez was terrific during his short stint with the Rays, allowing just one run over seven relief innings. He was needed for three frames in Wednesday's win, though, so Tampa Bay is swapping him out for a fresh arm.
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Rays' Jacob Lopez: Nabs three-inning save in MLB debut
Rotowire
Lopez earned a save in Monday's 10-2 win over the Giants, allowing one run on three hits while striking out two batters over three innings.
Lopez was called up from Triple-A Durham earlier in the day and made his first big-league appearance in the bottom of the seventh inning with Tampa Bay holding a 6-1 lead. The southpaw encountered a bases-loaded situation due to an error, single and hit-by-pitch but showed poise in striking out Wade Meckler to end the threat. Lopez then allowed a run in the eighth before retiring the side in order in the ninth to earn the save. He threw 47 pitches in the outing, so he may be out of commission for a few days or sent back down to the minors in favor of a fresh arm.
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Rays' Jacob Lopez: Joining big-league bullpen
Rotowire
The Rays selected Lopez's contract from Triple-A Durham on Monday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Lopez will join the bullpen, likely in a multi-inning role, after registering a sharp 2.67 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 110:41 K:BB through 84.1 frames (19 starts, two relief appearances) this season between Triple-A and Double-A Montgomery. The 25-year-old left-hander was a 26th-round pick of the Giants in the 2018 First-Year Player Draft.
