The Orioles announced that right-hander Jorge Lopez was designated for assignment. Left-hander Bruce Zimmermann was called up from Triple-A to take Lopez’s spot on the active roster.
Baltimore claimed Lopez off waivers from the Marlins at the start of September, and Lopez posted a 6.10 ERA over 10 1/3 innings of work in the orange-and-black. While Lopez had a 28% strikeout rate and a 4.0% walk rate over his brief time with the O’s, he also allowed four home runs, sending his ERA skyrocketing. Lopez was ineligible for postseason play since he was acquired after September 1, and since he was looking like a clear non-tender candidate anyway, the Orioles look to have started his path to free agency a little early. In all likelihood, Lopez will clear waivers and then be released, unless a team wants to take a quick evaluation before the offseason officially begins.
Lopez has a 5.53 ERA over 478 1/3 innings in the majors, appearing with five different teams over an eight-season career that began in 2015. The clear highlight of Lopez’s career came during his first stint with the Orioles, when his exceptional first-half performance earned him a spot on the 2022 All-Star team. The O’s were in postseason contention at last year’s trade deadline, but the team opted to sell high on Lopez by dealing him to the Twins for a four-player package that included Yennier Cano (an All-Star himself in 2023) and left-hander Cade Povich, arguably Baltimore’s top current pitching prospect.
It was a wise move on the Orioles’ part, as Lopez immediately started to regress in Minnesota. Those struggles deepened in 2023, as Lopez posted a 6.12 ERA over 57 1/3 combined innings with the Twins, Marlins, and Orioles. Minnesota dealt Lopez to Miami at the trade deadline for Dylan Floro in something of a mutual change-of-scenery deal for both relievers, though neither got on track on a new team. (By coincidence, the Twins just released Floro yesterday.)
Lopez earned $3.625MM in 2023, and would be in line for some kind of minimal raise in his third and final year of arbitration eligibility. The 30-year-old may have to settle for a minor league deal this winter, in the wake of such a disappointing season.
His walk and K rates were actually back on track here. It was the HR problem. Maybe we’ll bring him back on a minor league deal this off-season. Maybe he’ll get straightened out.
hoping he agrees to a minor league contract as it’s been reported that he and his family are very comfortable and happy to be back with the Orioles organization. maybe their development folks can work with him more and tweek whatever went off the tracks after the Twins trade. he certainly has some skills that he’s shown although relief pitching can be mercurial.
not only for the sake of the org, but for him — seems like Norfolk would be a good place for him to get in a good place mentally and skillwise. I don’t know the contract requirements but I think the project year will only work if it makes sense economically.
The future of Bautista and Cano too. Most relievers have short shelf lives.
That’s why it’s always baffling when teams overpay in free agency. Just sign a few guys coming off bad years. You’ll hit gold with at least one or two.
Relievers are so unpredictable and combustible that in most cases even the best relievers should be limited to 1 and 2 year contracts. Most of your relievers should come from the draft and waiver wire.
If it were that easy though, everyone would do it. And you lose tons of games if you have a bad bullpen and wasting time figuring out who is good and who’s bad.
What do the Jays do with Hicks?
Some (probably a half dozen) teams are going to offer is him 5/75
At 104 mph I think the Jays have to consider it
Absolutely not. Maybe Cano, but not Bautista. As usual, your ignorance of the Orioles persists. Anyone thinking someone with Bautista’s track record, dominance, and talent is going to end up a DFA the season after his all star berth is a flat out idiot.
Felix Bautista might come back like Luis Severino….
We certainly hope not but nothing is guaranteed.
The k rate is good but now is not the time for the O’s to be trying to get a guy back into consistency. Definitely a buy low guy though with some quality upside if he can find his footing again.
I think the Os will try to bring him back and get him back on track. Just no point yielding a spot on the 40 man to someone not eligible for the post season and a FA
This dude was so awful most of his time with the Royals, but he once took a perfect game into the 9th.
Take a look at his career stats. April-July 2022 is the only time he’s ever been decent.
Nice for him to go out on 1 2/3 scoreless for the O’s. Really nice guy and his brilliance last year translated into an incredible trade for Baltimore. I’d love to have him back on a minor league deal if he’s not claimed. His stuff plays, but his command hasn’t.
Has there ever been a player with negative career WAR and an all-star appearance who played as long as Lopez?
That trade worked out for no one…
Dylan Floro for Lopez? Because I think the Orioles are highly satisfyed with the return they got for Lopez at the 2022 deadline.
Yes the Floro/Lopez swap
MLB network breaking news Bautista will undergo TJS