Lopez making impact after working way back to White Sox's pitching staff
When spring training opened, Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, Dallas Keuchel and Dylan Cease already had jobs locked up the in the White Sox's rotation.
It was Carlos Rodon vs. Reynaldo Lopez in a battle for the No. 5 starter's job, and it wasn't much of a fight.
Finally healthy, Rodon was the clear winner for the final spot. Lopez was optioned to Class AAA Charlotte, likely never to be heard from again.
"What can I say?" Lopez said through a translator. "At the beginning, I felt a little frustrated because I wasn't expecting that. But then afterward, I just accepted the role, accepted my reality and I just embraced it and started working from the bottom up."
The road back to the Sox's pitching staff has been anything but smooth for the 27-year-old righty.
Before taking the mound at Charlotte, Lopez had surgery on both corneas to correct blurred vision.
Having trouble focusing in on the catcher's mitt likely contributed to Lopez's poor showing last season, when he went 1-3 with a 6.49 ERA in 8 starts for the White Sox. He also missed a month with a sore throwing shoulder.
Staying confident has always been a much bigger issue for Lopez, but it's gradually returned since he was recalled from Charlotte on July 16.
Feeling good about himself and no longer getting down when there is traffic on the bases, Lopez has been brilliant while going 2-0 with a 1.08 ERA in 11 games with the Sox.
The 6-foot-1, 225-pounder makes his fourth spot start Sunday at Tampa Bay.
"I've been working hard physically and mentally to improve and get better and get to this point," Lopez said. "It has made a huge difference. I feel in a very good position right now. The biggest difference is that I have confidence in my pitches. I can throw any pitch in any count.
"I'm not afraid of missing a location because I have that confidence. It doesn't matter if the hitter gets a basehit or if an error happens or whatever, I have the confidence in my pitches and the conviction that I can get outs. That's probably why my breaking pitches are working very good right now, the location of my fastball is good. I think that's the biggest key, the confidence and conviction that I have in my pitches and I can throw them in any situation."
With Rodon on the injured list with a sore shoulder, Lopez has taken his spot in the rotation.
Rodon could be back on the mound at Toronto this week, and Lopez will gladly settle for getting hitters out as a relief pitcher.
"He's done a phenomenal job," White Sox pitching coach Ethan Katz said. "The stuff has been great, the slider has been electric. He's done a great job filling in for Carlos, filling that void right now. When Carlos comes back, he'll probably be back in the 'pen doing a bunch of different things.
"From long relief to also being able to be a back end guy, depending on the game, his usage and where he's at. He's been a huge contributor to us in the second half."