Impact Lopez holds a career 4.73 ERA and 19.8 percent strikeout rate as a starter and 3.01 ERA and 26.6 percent strikeout rate as a reliever. All but one of his appearances over the last two seasons have come out of the bullpen. However, Atlanta believes they might be able to coax more out of Lopez as a starter and they also know it would be easier to put him in the rotation now before later moving him to the bullpen rather than vice versa. Lopez's primary competition for the fifth spot in the rotation is Bryce Elder, with AJ Smith-Shawver, Darius Vines, Allan Winans and Dylan Dodd also in the mix.
FEBRUARY 23, 2024 • ROTOWIRE
