Reynaldo López
López with the Washington Nationals in 2016
Atlanta Braves – No. 40
Pitcher
Born: (1994-01-04) January 4, 1994
San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 19, 2016, for the Washington Nationals
MLB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Win–loss record39–49
Earned run average4.32
Strikeouts617
Teams

Reynaldo Starling López Kely (born January 4, 1994) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut with the Washington Nationals in 2016, and has also played for the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels, and Cleveland Guardians.

Career

Minor leagues

López signed with the Washington Nationals as an international free agent in June 2012. His signing bonus of just $17,000 was relatively tiny compared to most other contemporaneous Latin American prospects that would reach his same level of success in the minor leagues.[1] The lower signing bonus may have been because Lopez took several years off of baseball to finish his high school degree, and signed at age 18.

He made his professional debut that season with the Dominican Summer League Nationals, where he pitched to a 1–1 win–loss record and 3.38 earned run average (ERA) in 10+2⁄3 innings pitched. López started one game each for both the Auburn Doubledays and Hagerstown Suns in 2013.[2] He pitched for the same two teams in 2014, starting 16 games and finishing with a 7–3 record and 1.08 ERA.[3] In 2015, he pitched for the Potomac Nationals where he was 6–7 with a 4.09 ERA in 19 starts.

López started the 2016 season with the Harrisburg Senators. After posting a 3.18 ERA with the Senators through 14 starts, he was promoted to the Syracuse Chiefs on June 27, 2016.[4][5] He appeared in the 2016 All-Star Futures Game, retiring all three batters he faced as a pitcher for Team World.[6]

Washington Nationals

On July 17, 2016, Nationals manager Dusty Baker announced López would be called up to make his major league debut with a start on July 19, 2016, against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.[7] During the game, he gave up a lead-off home run to Chase Utley, allowed three runs in the first inning, and gave up hits to seven of the first 11 batters he faced.[8] After that, he improved considerably, retiring eight batters in a row at one point, striking out six of them.[8] After he allowed three batters to reach base and gave up two more runs in the fifth inning, he was relieved.[8] He had pitched 4+2⁄3 innings, throwing 105 pitches (65 for strikes), giving up six runs (all earned) on 10 hits (including one home run), and walking one but striking out nine.[9][10] The Nationals lost the game 8–4, and he was the game's losing pitcher.[9][10] However, he was the first player from the Dominican Republic signed and developed by the Nationals to start a game for Washington[8] – which the Nationals considered a major step forward for their organization[8] – and his nine strikeouts was the second-highest strike-out total for a Nationals pitcher during a major league debut,[8] exceeded only by Stephen Strasburg′s 14 strikeouts on June 8, 2010.[11] López left the field to a standing ovation by Nationals fans.[12] The Nationals sent López back to Syracuse on July 20, 2016, to make room on their roster for relief pitcher Koda Glover, who made his major league debut the evening after Lopez's debut.[13] He was recalled and optioned multiple times after his debut. In 19 starts between Harrisburg and Syracuse he compiled a 5–7 record and 3.21 ERA, and in 11 games (six starts) for the Nationals, he was 5–3 with a 4.91 ERA.

Chicago White Sox

López with the Chicago White Sox in 2019

On December 7, 2016, López was traded with Lucas Giolito and Dane Dunning to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Adam Eaton.[14]

López began 2017 with the Charlotte Knights before being called up on August 11. He was placed on the disabled list on August 19 and activated September 1. In 22 starts for Charlotte he pitched to a 6–7 record and 3.79 ERA, and in eight starts for the White Sox he was 3–3 with a 4.72 ERA.[15] López began 2018 with Chicago in the starting rotation. He finished the season with a record of 7–10 in 32 starts.

In 2019, he was 10–15 with a 5.38 ERA, and gave up the longest home run of the season in the major leagues, a 505-foot homer.[16] He allowed the lowest ground ball percentage of all major league pitchers (35.0%).[17] With the 2020 Chicago White Sox, López appeared in eight games, compiling a 1–3 record with 6.49 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 26+1⁄3 innings pitched.[18]

López did not make the White Sox' Opening Day roster for the 2021 season.[19] He began the year with Charlotte. He was called up on July 16 where he made his season debut coming out of the bullpen going 2 innings, gave up 1 hit, and struck out 1. He made his first start in 2021 against the Minnesota Twins during game 2 of a doubleheader, going 3 innings, giving up 2 runs and 1 home run, and struck out 3 as the White Sox won 5-3. On August 11, López was promoted to the starting rotation due to an injury to Carlos Rodón. On August 28 against the Chicago Cubs, he was called in after a 6-run first inning to pitch, throwing five perfect innings.[20] Overall in 2021, Lopez appeared in 20 games while making 9 starts, with an ERA of 3.43 and a 4-3 record. He pitched in 57.2 innings and struck out 55 batters. In 2022, López came out of the bullpen and did very well. His average velocity for his fastball in 2022 was 97 miles per hour, and did hit 100 miles per hour in a few appearances.[21] López went 6–4 in 61 games while making 1 start, pitching to an ERA of 2.76 in 65.1 innings while striking out 63 batters.

Los Angeles Angels

On July 26, 2023, López and Lucas Giolito were traded to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for minor league players Ky Bush and Edgar Quero.[22] He was placed on waivers on August 29, after posting a 2.77 ERA in 13 relief appearances.[23]

Cleveland Guardians

On August 31, 2023, López was claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Guardians.[24]

Atlanta Braves

On November 20, 2023, López signed a three–year, $26 million contract with the Atlanta Braves.[25][26]

Pitching style

While at 6 feet tall, Lopez is not especially tall for a pitcher—some media stories highlighting Nationals pitching prospects before both pitchers' MLB debuts made note of the height disparity between Lopez and his Harrisburg teammate, 6-foot-6-inches Lucas Giolito[27][28]—he generates exceptional velocity on his fastball, which he can throw consistently above 95 mph and flash in the triple digits.[27][28][29] Lopez also throws a biting curveball[30] and a changeup.[6] He was mentioned as a possible future reliever when he was a prospect,[27][31] with Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo describing him in 2016 as "a guy that can help in a starting role and in a bullpen role".[32]

References

  1. ↑ "How Reynaldo Lopez became a hard-throwing Nationals prospect". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Auburn Doubledays pitcher Reynaldo Lopez ready for opening day start". Auburn Citizen. June 13, 2014. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Nationals prospect Reynaldo Lopez is a name to know". Washington Post. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  4. ↑ Janes, Chelsea (June 27, 2016). "Minor League Monday: Reynaldo Lopez promoted to Class AAA Syracuse". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Nationals' Reynaldo Lopez: Big league debut on tap". CBS Sports. July 17, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  6. 1 2 Svrluga, Barry (July 10, 2016). "Reynaldo Lopez pitched in the Futures Game. What does his immediate future hold?". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  7. ↑ Washington Nationals (July 17, 2016). "Dusty Baker said postgame that RHP Reynaldo Lopez will be called up to start for the #Nats on Tuesday vs. LAD". Twitter. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Janes, Chelsea, "Reynaldo Lopez's debut is a win for the organization, a loss for the Nats," washingtonpost.com, July 19, 2016, 10:36 p.m. EDT.
  9. 1 2 Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Washington Nationals – Box Score – July 19, 2016 – ESPN
  10. 1 2 mlb.com LAD vs. WSH 07/19/2016
  11. ↑ Starkey, Ted (June 8, 2010). "Strasburg sets Nationals record in debut". The Washington Times. Retrieved June 9, 2010.
  12. ↑ Eisenhauer, Mark, "Reynaldo Lopez's major league debut has a rocky start, solid ending," washingtontimes.com, July 19, 2016.
  13. ↑ Janes, Chelsea, "Nationals call up reliever Koda Glover, send Reynaldo Lopez back to Syracuse," washingtonpost.com, July 20, 2016, 6:34 p.m. EDT.
  14. ↑ Merkin, Scott (December 7, 2016). "White Sox acquire Giolito, 2 prospects for Eaton". MLB.com. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Reynaldo Lopez Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Statcast Leaderboard | baseballsavant.com". Baseballsavant.mlb.com. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  17. ↑ "Major League Leaderboards » 2019 » Pitchers » Batted Ball Statistics | FanGraphs Baseball". Fangraphs.com. January 1, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  18. ↑ "Reynaldo López Stats, Fantasy & News | Chicago White Sox". MLB.com.
  19. ↑ "What the Sox expect from Reynaldo López moving forward". March 23, 2021.
  20. ↑ "White Sox's Reynaldo Lopez: Throws five perfect relief innings". August 28, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Reynaldo Lopez average velocity in 2022". Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  22. ↑ "Angels land starting pitcher Giolito in deal with White Sox". MLB.com. July 26, 2023.
  23. ↑ "MLB waiver claims: Yankees' Harrison Bader scooped up by Reds, Lucas Giolito lands back in AL Central". cbssports.com. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  24. ↑ "Giolito, López, Moore all claimed by Guardians". MLB.com.
  25. ↑ Bowman, Mark (November 20, 2023). "Braves bolster 'pen, sign RHP Reynaldo López to 3-year deal". MLB.com. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  26. ↑ "Braves add veteran right-hander Reynaldo López on 3-year, $30M deal". ESPN.com. Associated Press. November 20, 2023. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  27. 1 2 3 Wagner, James (May 18, 2016). "How Reynaldo Lopez became a hard-throwing Nationals prospect". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  28. 1 2 Kerr, Byron (February 23, 2015). "Giolito on Reynaldo Lopez's fastball: "I've never seen anything like it live"". MASN Sports. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  29. ↑ Kerr, Byron (July 11, 2016). "Reynaldo Lopez shows well in All-Star Futures Game". MASN Sports. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  30. ↑ Reddington, Patrick (February 13, 2015). "Doug Harris talks Nationals' prospects: Erick Fedde, Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez + more". Federal Baseball. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  31. ↑ Kerr, Byron (January 26, 2016). "Baseball America No. 5 Nats prospect: Reynaldo Lopez". MASN Sports. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  32. ↑ Reddington, Patrick (July 19, 2016). "Nationals' prospect Reynaldo Lopez set to face Dodgers tonight in the nation's capital". Federal Baseball. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
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