NORTH PORT, Fla. — Reynaldo López may find yourself being precious as each a starter and a reliever whereas filling these roles throughout totally different stretches this 12 months. The Braves simply should determine whether or not he’ll start the season within the rotation or within the bullpen.
López has spent the previous two seasons proving he could be a reliable high-leverage reliever. However as he navigated his method by way of some hassle in a 5-1 loss to the Pirates on Tuesday, he confirmed why there are some who assume he may be equally precious as a starter, even when he can’t bodily fill that position for the whole lot of the upcoming season.
“We’re simply going to proceed to judge and see the place we’re at,” Braves supervisor Brian Snitker mentioned.
López cruised by way of his first three appearances this spring after which lastly encountered some hassle whereas making an attempt to pitch round three hits and three walks over 3 2/3 innings towards the Pirates on Tuesday. The Braves new right-hander labored by way of the second inning after which retired every of the ultimate six batters he confronted.
“It was simply a kind of days the place you don’t really feel proper and also you simply should combat,” López mentioned. “My fastball wasn’t good and my slider wasn’t good. I simply let it out and let the place gamers get some work.”
The outcomes weren’t as tough because the self-assessment. Oneil Cruz’s leadoff house run accounted for the one run scored towards López. However not a lot got here straightforward for the Braves’ hurler, who tallied simply two strikeouts. His four-seam fastball averaged 94.2 mph and topped out at 95.7 mph.
This velocity was just like what he produced in 2019, his most up-to-date full season as a starter. His four-seamer averaged 95.4 mph that season. This similar pitch averaged 98.2 mph when he labored out of the bullpen final 12 months.
Spencer Strider has proven it’s attainable to be a profitable starter whereas sustaining the aggressiveness and method of a hard-throwing reliever. López will comply with that lead. His fastball averaged 95.7 mph and touched 97.1 mph throughout his March 2 look towards the Blue Jays.
“There’s going to be these days, particularly round this time of camp,” Snitker mentioned. “Their legs are going to be heavy. All pitchers undergo this throughout Spring Coaching. It’s a part of getting in form.”
It didn’t take López lengthy to appreciate he didn’t have his greatest stuff. His fastball didn’t get above 95.1 mph within the first inning. Cruz hit his opposite-field homer towards an elevated 94.2 mph fastball.
López issued consecutive walks to start the second inning after which surrendered a single that loaded the bases with none out. It seemed like he may escape on his personal when catcher Sean Murphy coupled a Jason Delay strikeout with a pickoff of Nick Gonzalez at first base. However with López’s pitch depend mounting, the Braves eliminated López after he walked Cruz.
The re-entry rule allowed López to return within the third inning. He retired every of the subsequent six batters and gave the Braves cause to look ahead to his subsequent begin.
“I like after they get in a bit hassle they usually’ve obtained to increase themselves a bit bit and make pitches,” Snitker mentioned. “He obtained by way of 4 innings, which is absolutely good.”
López and Bryce Elder are battling for the fifth spot in a rotation that can embody Max Fried, Spencer Strider, Charlie Morton and Chris Sale. There might be some workload limits for Sale and López. Neither has spent a complete season as a starter since 2019.
The Braves are evaluating their many choices. However Snitker mentioned they haven’t mentioned the potential of having Sale and López piggyback off one another in the course of the early a part of the season to cut back each of their workloads.
So, López must spend these remaining two weeks of Spring Coaching prepping to enter the season as a starter with none restrictions. The Braves may all the time determine to maneuver him to the reduction position. However as soon as that transfer is made, there could be concern about having him stretch out once more.
López will probably make at the very least two extra begins earlier than the Braves make a remaining determination.
“At the moment was an enormous problem,” López mentioned. “I simply tried to do my greatest.”
