Stories from earlier this week recommended the Marlins have been “now not dismissing calls” (within the phrases of Barry Jackson and Craig Mish of the Miami Herald) about Pablo Lopez’s availability, and thus it isn’t stunning that the aggressive Dodgers have reached out. Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times experiences that Lopez is among the many many gamers the Dodgers have mentioned as tomorrow’s commerce deadline looms.
The Twins and Cardinals have additionally been linked to Lopez in commerce rumors, and given Lopez’s worth as each a right away rotation enhance and a longer-term reply, it’s most likely protected to guess that almost each contender has checked in with Miami normal supervisor Kim Ng. In fact, since Lopez is managed by way of arbitration by means of the 2024 season, he has a ton of worth to the Marlins as effectively, notably since Miami has sufficient expertise on the roster that they’re certainly aiming for a return to rivalry in 2023.
That implies that if the Marlins did transfer Lopez, it will very seemingly be for gamers who’re able to contribute within the massive leagues straight away, versus simply intriguing prospects. Because the asking value for Lopez is bound to be enormous, not many groups might essentially meet the Marlins’ calls for….however the Dodgers might actually be a type of golf equipment, given their deep farm system.
It was just a little over 5 years in the past that Lopez was dealt as a part of a four-player package deal from the Mariners to the Marlins in trade for David Phelps, a deal that ended up being a big win for Miami. After posting first rate numbers over 31 begins in 2018-19, Lopez has quietly been one of many more practical starters in baseball, posting a 3.33 ERA, 48.1% grounder fee, 25.7% strikeout fee, and 6.9% stroll fee over 278 2/3 innings for the reason that begin of the 2020 season.
A rotator cuff pressure sidelined Lopez for a lot of the second half of the 2021 season, however he has rebounded with one other robust efficiency this yr. An above-average strikeout pitcher, Lopez has posted the perfect whiff fee of his profession, whereas additionally getting quite a lot of grounders and comfortable contact (even when his low barrel-rate numbers counsel that batters can actually capitalize on the comparatively few events they do join).
Clayton Kershaw is simply signed by means of the 2022 season, because the long-time Dodgers ace appears to be taking a season-by-season strategy to the rest of his profession. Past Kershaw, Tyler Anderson and Andrew Heaney are scheduled without cost company this winter, so buying and selling for Lopez would give Los Angeles one other controllable arm to associate with Julio Urias (arb-controlled by means of 2023), Dustin May (2025), and Tony Gonsolin (2026).
