Lopez, Hansen have lofty goals to go
GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Reynaldo Lopez isn’t backing down from those lofty goals he declared for himself on the first day of spring training.
“As I said before, just have 30plus [ starts] and get 200- plus innings and strike out 200- plus batters,’’ Lopez said Thursday. “Those are my goals for this year.’’
Lopez made his 2018 Cactus League debut, and it felt much different for the 24- year- old than a year ago after the Sox acquired him in the Adam Eaton trade along with Lucas Giolito and Dane Dunning. Last year, he was trying to impress, chasing a nearimpossible goal of making the opening- day roster.
This year, he came to spring training as a possible No. 3 starter in the rotation and probably possessing the best arm of the lot. He said it took him an inning to get his adrenaline pumping.
“At the beginning, I was kind of low- energy,’’ said Lopez, who touched 96 mph on the scoreboard gun, struck out two, walked two and allowed a run and one soft hit in two innings.
“I feel more comfortable and confident. But even though I don’t feel I have to prove anything to anybody, I want to show to myself that I can get better and improve and still develop as a pitcher.”
Big goals II
Alec Hansen has a big goal, too: to pitch in the majors at some point this season.
“That’s a tremendous goal to have, and I wouldn’t take that from any of our guys,’’ manager Rick Renteria said. “They should be shooting for that.’’
Working without his best fastball, the 6- 9 Hansen, the Sox’ No. 4- ranked prospect, according to MLB. com, and the 2017 minor- league strikeout king, struck out three and walked one in 1‰ innings. He allowed three runs and three hits, one of them a fairly deep but routine fly ball that dropped between Leury Garcia and Nicky Delmonico.
Hansen’s fastball sat in the mid90s and touched 98- 99 last season, but he topped out at 93 Thursday. It would stand to reason that will pick up in future appearances.
Renteria did not express concern.
“Alec had a really live fastball,’’ Renteria said. “You look at the num- bers, doesn’t seem like much, but the ball gets on top of you. It doesn’t play 91, 92; it plays 95, 96, 97.’’
As one scout sitting behind the plate said, Hansen doesn’t give away his 6- 9 height with an overthe- top delivery.
“It’s like hitting against a guy standing on a three- story building,’’ the scout said.
Hansen struck out Joey Votto swinging on an elevated fastball, making the All- Star look bad with a half- swing trying to foul off the pitch.
Taking the ball
Miguel Gonzalez will make his first start Friday against the Dodgers, followed by the Sox’ top pitching prospect, Michael Kopech, against the Royals on Saturday and Carson Fulmer in his second start Sunday against the Padres.
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