(Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Twins needed pitching in the offseason, so they traded American League batting champion Luis Arraez to get Pablo Lopez from the Miami Marlins.
Lopez is seen as a great number two, but perhaps not an ace.
Well, that may be about to change.
Not because of his fantastic Opening Day start on Thursday (we will get there in a minute), but instead because he now has the proper weapons to dominate all kinds of lineups.
Lopez worked hard in the offseason to become a better pitcher.
He managed to increase his fastball velocity and, thus, his ceiling.
However, and perhaps more importantly, he now owns three legitimately great pitches instead of two.
Pablo López
Velocity up across the board
4FB:
93.6 95.1 mph
17.9- 15.9-in VBreak
4.5-5.7-in HBreak
Debuted new sweeper:
84.9 mph
34.5-in VBreak
11.3-in HBreak
8 whiffs (73%)
112.5 Stuff+ this spring
If López has finally added a viable 3rd pitch, he could breakout
— Jesse Roche (@jaroche6) March 31, 2023
As Baseball Prospectus’ Jesse Roche explains, his four-seamer was 93.6 mph on average in 2022, and checked in at 95.1 mph in his Opening Day start against the Kansas City Royals.
He also reduced its “drop”, making it look more like a “rising” fastball.
The best thing of all is the development of his sweeper.
In 2022, Lopez used his four-seamer and changeup over 30 percent of the time.
He had three more pitches, but none was thrown more than 10 percent of the time.
Now, he used the sweeper – which gives him something with break in two planes that goes away from right-handed hitters – 23.5 percent of the time on Thursday.
It’s a legitimate weapon.
2 of my notes from opening day that I’m thinking about this morning
– Pablo Lopez’s fastball was up 1.5 MPH and his new sweeper generated 8 whiffs on 11 swings
– I’m unsure how many ABs he will see this year but Ji Hwan Bae is fast af
— Blake Meyer (@Buhhlockaye) March 31, 2023
Now, Lopez has three legitimately good offerings instead of two, giving him more of a competitive advantage.
It showed against the Royals, as he dominated them for 5.2 innings in which he allowed no runs, two hits, and three walks, with eight punchouts.
Lopez was already a fine pitcher (3.89 career ERA).
Now, he could be even better and enter ace status.
The post Twins Ace Confirms His Breakout Potential With Solid Opening Day Start appeared first on The Cold Wire.