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: Starting Sunday
Rotowire
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: 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: 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.
