Marlins’ Lopez suffers rare poor outing after his historic start
Pablo Lopez was in rarefied air after one of the best starts to a season by a Marlins starting pitcher in club history.
But on Wednesday night, Lopez was nowhere near his usual self, and his money pitch — the changeup — was a major reason.
Lopez threw 82 pitches over just three innings, allowing three runs on four hits while issuing a seasonhigh three walks and striking out a season-low two batters.
He labored through what was his shortest start since going three innings on June 13, 2021 (not counting his start July 2 in Atlanta when he was ejected after one pitch for hitting Ronald Acuna Jr. or his start Oct. 3 when he was used as an opener, pitching 1 ⅔ innings after recovering from a shoulder injury).
It was one of just four total outings over the past two seasons in which Lopez pitched three innings or fewer.
Lopez gave up a run in the first after allowing a leadoff triple to Cesar Hernandez, who then scored on a wild pitch. Keibert Ruiz, Alcides Escobar and Hernandez all doubled in the second inning leading to the other two runs.
Three of the four hits Lopez allowed came off his changeup, which induced only two whiffs on 10 swings (20 percent). This compared to his 45.3 percent whiff rate he had on that pitch entering Wednesday’s game which was the most in the league among pitchers who have had at least 100 swings
against the pitch, according to Statcast.
This forced Lopez to rely more on his fastball to get outs.
According to Baseball Reference, Lopez’s 1.57 ERA following the rocky start still ranks second all-time in Marlins history through the first eight starts of a season behind only Dontrelle Willis’ 1.45 ERA in 2005.
It was only the second game Lopez allowed multiple runs this season (four runs — three earned — in 4 2/3 innings against the Diamondbacks on May 2).
THIS AND THAT
Jorge Soler was out of the lineup for the second consecutive game after Mattingly said he had experienced lower back stiffness. With the Marlins off on Thursday, the club hopes Soler will be ready when Miami hosts his former team, the Atlanta Braves for
three games starting Friday at loanDepot Park.
Bryan De La Cruz, who was hit by a pitch on his right forearm in the fourth inning of Tuesday night’s game, was also held out for similar reasons. Jesus Sanchez started in center on Wednesday for the first time in three games.
If Soler and De La Cruz are out longer, Brian Anderson or perhaps Avisail Garcia are options to play center in the short term if necessary.
Don Mattingly also said starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo (left forearm strain) won’t be rushed back even if it means he misses more than one start.
Luzardo is 2-3 with 41 strikeouts, 16 walks and a 4.03 ERA in 29 innings (six starts) this season.
“When he’s OK to throw a bullpen we’ll go from there,” Mattingly said. “We’re pretty confident this
won’t be extended, but whatever it has to be, we’ve been lucky with the off days falling the way they have right now.”
If Luzardo, who is on the 15-day injured list retro to May 12, is out longer than expected Cody Poteet could be an option to remain in the rotation in the short term.
Poteet struck out four and gave up one hit and one walk over 4⅔ scoreless innings in a spot start on Tuesday. Mattingly said Poteet would be given a couple of days to rest before potentially returning to a long relief role, but it’s possible he could make another spot start if needed.
Brian Anderson’s fourth-inning single extended his on-base streak to 22 consecutive games.