I may have had my fill of Minnesota sports this weekend, but once more into the breach, I guess.
Tag Archives: Pablo López
2023 Game 158: Oakland Athletics at Minnesota Twins
Joey Estes
vs
Pablo López
Estes made his MLB debut last week against Seattle. He gave up six runs, five earned, over his 4 ⅔ innings. His MiLB is decent but not great. He's still young as his 22nd birthday happens during this year's Division Series.
The Twins are now 11 wins over .500. Their preseason projections had them barely winning the division at 83 wins. They now predict three additional wins over the final five games to get them to 87 wins. They've finished with 87 wins once as the Twins in 2009 and once as the Senators in 1945. The Tigers finished ahead of them by one win in 1945 but they also played three fewer games. The Senators managed two ties in their 156 games.
López ranks well on several AL leaderboards. He's second in strikeouts; ten more puts him in front if Gausman does not make another start. He's tenth in ERA at 3.61; another solid start would put him ahead of Berríos at ninth with 3.58. Seven shutout innings would put him above Eflin's 3.50 (six scoreless might at 3.4957). His FIP ranks slightly better at sixth with 3.60. Another win puts him at 12 for the season and in a many-way tie for seventh. He's eighth in WHIP, right ahead of Gray. Breaking that apart so he's tenth in the H part and fifth in the W part. K/9 he's third and a high strikeout game might put him second. Fifth in innings pitched, two ahead of Kyle Gibson. Finally, his rWAR is tied with rookie Tanner Bibee for seventh at 3.6 WAR. It's been a great season and he will get first crack at earning a postseason win.
2023 Game 143: New York Mets at Minnesota Twins
Game in progress. Try to spot Twayn behind home plate.
Tylor Megill
vs
Pablo López
2023 Game Log 137: Minnesota Twins at Cleveland Guardians
Sorry, busy today, gang. Here's a game log. Our old friend Giolito is back. Enjoy the holiday!
2023 Game 128: Rangers at Twins
So, Gleeman has probably been the most vocal among the chattering class when it comes to the Twins failing to beef up the bullpen at the trade deadline. That decision to stand pat on the bullpen is looking worse in the rearview mirror all the time. The only pitcher we got was Floro, and we've seen how much help he's been. And can we talk about Carlos Correa? I've reached a point where I dread seeing him come to bat with runners on base because I just can't bear to watch him get paid another $58,000 to ground into another rally-killing double play. Honestly, I've secretly started hoping he'll just strike out in those situations instead.
Pablo Lopez is back on the mound for the Twins today. As frustrating as the bullpen has been lately, the rotation is turning in one solid performance after another (with the occasional outlier). Pablo's got a 9-6 record, a 3.51 ERA, and 187 strikeouts on the season. The Rangers counter with southpaw Andrew Heaney, and we all know about our struggles with lefthanders. He's also 9-6 with a 4.27 ERA and 122 strikeouts. Hopefully the boys are all rehydrated and ready to go after yesterday's matinee in the sauna.
Play ball!
2023 Game Log 114: Minnesota Twins at Detroit Tigers
After a sweet sweep of the D-backs, the Twins hit the road for four games in Detroit. Hopefully the streak continues. Games are going to start a little early this series so all you old timers should be able to make your bedtimes.
Twins are in the middle of a busy schedule, playing 16 games in 17 days. 13 of those games have been/will be on the road (though let's all forget about that series in KC). After Detroit we head to Philly, but then the schedule eases back a bit with a chunk of home games and a bit more rest.
Tonight, Pablo López takes the mound for the Twins following a couple decent performances (including one I got to see in person at Busch). Joey Wentz, recently called back up from Triple A, will start for the Tigers. He hasn't had much luck this year as a starter, including against the Twins when he was in the rotation earlier this year. It sounds like he was being used for long relief in the minors, so he might not go too long in this game no matter what, but let's try to force the issue.
2023 Game 98 – Twins at Mariners
After laying a big egg in Baltimore to end the first half, the local nine have been playing much better ball since their return from the All-Star break with a sweep of the Athletics and two wins in three games with Seattle. The Twins will try to seal a series win from the Mariners in a businessman's special this afternoon.
The Twins will send Pablo Lopez (5-5, 4.24 ERA, 145 K) to the mound today, Seattle will counter with sophomore right-hander George Kirby (8-8, 3.43 ERA, 93 K). Let's hope the Twins bats make a lot of noise again today, it sure is entertaining to watch when this team is hitting well.
Play ball!
Game 93: twins @ athletics
It's mowing day!
There's nothing like having the game on while mowing for a few hours. The lady of the house is planting the new rose bush, and the kids are golfing around the yard (or, in the case of the one year old, poking the club at the ball and giggling if he happens to make contact). The only thing today needs is some baseball on the radio.....and a good result to that baseball.
Enter Pablo Lopez.
As good as the rotation has been through the first half (and they've arguably been the best in the game), I'd give Lopez the slight edge as the best of them all. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that he pitches back to back shutouts. No one has done that since 1884, so that would be fun.
Either way, I'll be listening, first on the mower, then on the deck looking out over my yard, basking in a beautiful day and a Twins win.
2023 Game 88: Kansas City Royals at Minnesota Twins
Alec Marsh
vs
Pablo López
March is making his second career MLB start. His first was against the Dodgers and it did not go so well, giving up five runs in four innings. Checking his minor league numbers and while he had decent strikeout (11.4 K/9) and walk (3.9 BB/9) numbers, the ERA was not decent at 5.72 over 245 ⅓ innings, mostly in AA. He's 25 but was drafted in 2019 so lost his first year of MiLB development in 2020. Expect all three true outcomes today as the Twins get a tiny buffer in the "above .500" category.
2023 Game Log 83: Minnesota Twins at Baltimore Orioles
The sub-.500 first place Twins take on the second place(!) 48-31 Orioles.