As Major League Baseball teams look to upgrade their starting rotations without paying the going price of a veteran free agent, one former All-Star reportedly might be on the move.
Jeff Passan of ESPN reported this week that the Minnesota Twins haven't ruled out the possibility of trading Pablo López from a starting rotation that was near league-average in 2024.
More news: Baseball Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson Dies at 65
"The Twins have listened on right-hander Pablo Lopez," Passan wrote, "and if free agent pitching prices remain stratospheric, perhaps they'll go beyond the listening stage."
Free agent starters Max Fried ($218 million, eight years from the New York Yankees) and Blake Snell ($185 million, five years from the Los Angeles Dodgers) have already set a high bar at the top end of the market, where only Corbin Burnes still lingers.
Luis Severino ($67 million, three years from the Oakland Athletics) and Yusei Kikuchi ($63 million, three years from the Los Angeles Angels) will see strong average annual payouts on their shorter-term deals.
Against this backdrop, the remainder of López's contract could be appealing to a contending team.
More news: Fourth Reported MLB Team to Meet With Roki Sasaki is a Huge Underdog
The right-hander is entering the second year of a four-year, $73.5 million contract extension he signed with Minnesota in April 2023. López made an affordable $8 million in 2024, when he went 15-10 with a 4.08 ERA in 32 starts for the Twins.
Next year, López's salary escalates to $21.5 million and stays there through the end of the 2027 season. In effect, teams interested in López must be willing to take on a three-year, $64.5 million contract — not out of line with the current market rate, though perhaps a small bargain for a 28-year-old pitcher two years removed from an All-Star season.
More news: One NL Contender Appears Out of Roki Sasaki Sweepstakes
López debuted in the majors in 2018, posting a 4.14 ERA in 10 starts for the Marlins. After a rocky 2019, he blossomed in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season (6-4, 3.61), and by 2021, his pitching began to turn heads.
Despite a rotator cuff strain in 2021 that ultimately sent him to the injured list, López posted a solid 3.07 ERA over 20 starts, striking out 115 batters in 102.2 innings. His ERA+ of 136 marked him as one of the National League's best starters.
More news: Former Major League Pitcher, 35, Reportedly Dies in Car Accident
In 2022, López earned NL Pitcher of the Month honors with a scorching 0.39 ERA in April. He finished the year with a 10-10 record and a 3.75 ERA, tallying 174 strikeouts in 180 innings.
The Jan. 2023 trade to Minnesota paid off as López set career highs in innings (194) and strikeouts (234) while going 11-8 with a 3.66 ERA in his first year with the Twins. He was named an All-Star and delivered a key postseason performance, earning two wins in the ALDS and Wild Card Series.
For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports.
English (US) ·